Do it like it is
by Dark- Cherry Angel
Summary: He realised without thinking, his eyes growing wide with the realisation…that perhaps…just perhaps he was in love with one of his best friends. OC
1. Chapter 1

I am going to need OCs guys, a few for Josie's team and a few rival teams. Please try not to make all of them have romantic relationships because it becomes all fluffy and I'm trying to keep this action packed as possible. Try not to make all the characters antisocial and depressed because then it just becomes depressing to write. This may sound a little demanding and I apologize I just really kinda want ordinary people, single parent, no parents, abuse but just keep it minor please. I'll put up a form you can complete for your OC at the bottom of the chapter. I hope you like the story so far, hopefully it's a bit different without the whole saving the world and all that other junk that seems to pop up in beyblade fics.

**Chapter one**

Tiredly the girl leaned back and stared at the computer, her green eyes scanning the entire page of writing before her printer turned on. The sound of the machine humming made her even more exhausted from the work she put into the letter. Outside the sounds of thunder, lighting and rain made the entire atmosphere feel morose and dull, making it seem like the worse night ever. Josie couldn't be bothered doing anything but go to bed but she wanted to say farewell to her brother and daughter before sleeping. "Jose?" a voice called from her door. The sixteen year old looked up and stared inquiringly at the blonde man, "Jade wants you to tell her a story." He said smiling slightly and then left the room.

She looked around her room for some sort of inspiration for a story to tell her daughter. Spotting her silver love heart necklace she picked it up and dangled it in front of her face, "so Azrael lets go see my daughter shall we," she said talking to her bitbeast.

Azrael was a beautiful angel like spirit that often looked like a kitten when first emerged from a beyblade. It had long silver hair and large red eyes, often a soft and gentle spirit but when in battle it was fierce and spiteful. Josie found her when she was a young girl in Russia on a family holiday with her older brother Enrique. Enrique was a beyblader just like her but he gave up the sport and decided to stay home, hold parties and take his fourteen month old niece out. Often the rest of the Majestics would come around for a game of poker or just for dinner, having them over was fun but tiresome, which was the reason for her lack of energy.

Getting up from her seat she walked to her daughter's room and smiled at the sight of Enrique holding the girl. When Jade was born everyone had thought that she had looked more like her mother than her father (who had left when he heard about the pregnancy). The fourteen month old child had long dark blonde hair, far darker than Josie's and emerald green eyes which she inherited from the sixteen year old. "Hello my beautiful child," she greeted softly taking the child from her brother's arms. "Enrique told me you wanted to here a story, what will it be? About the princess in the small village or about Azrael? Would you rather I read you a book?" she asked placing the little girl in the cot.

"Az-Azrael," Jade said slowly, her eyebrow frowned slightly as she tried to pronounce the name. Josie smiled and then looked up at Enrique, Jade's green eyes followed and she wriggled to a sitting position, "stay," she ordered glaring at the older man.

They chuckled together they sat down on either side of the cot, "ok…as a younger child Azrael was cursed. No one and nothing could help her," Josie crossed her legs and continued dangling the necklace in front of the girl's face, "once she was sixteen the ancient ones cast a spell on her and cursed her in all eternity inside the heart of this necklace." She smiled slightly when her bitbeast emitted a white glow.

"That is her talking to us Jade, if ever you are scared will yourself to think about Azrael, she is your angel and will protect you through your toughest times," Enrique said grabbing the necklace and hanging it on the mobile connected to the ceiling.

"A few hundred years Jade, your great somethingth mother found it deep inside a cave, inside a crystal. She took it home and kept it. It caused trouble for the family, other people wanted, so originally we fought for it. A raging war occurred just for the possession of Azrael, they though it brought good luck, wealth, protection. Azrael only serves for whoever can control it, I'm not sure about the good luck and wealth but it does provide protection." Josie smiled slightly, "Azrael protected our family and will protect us for centuries. Soon though Azrael broke free, her form taking place memorising the entire Tornatone family. Her beauty was that of angels Jade, long silver hair and soft red eyes that shined like the moon."

"Men instantly fell in love with her," Enrique cut in telling the story, "but because she wasn't human she couldn't love them back, only to protect them was her job. Azrael only shows her true form to those willing to accept that she is a family only if you had the strength to love her as an aunt, mother or sister. Azrael has guided your mother and I through most of our lives, she and Amphilyon taught us about life and love. For your birthday you will receive your own sacred spirit which you will name. Hopefully for you, you can find your own destiny." Jade smiled as Enrique told the tale and leaned over the caging to kiss the sleeping girl on the cheek.

"Goodnight my little angel," Josie said kissing the girl on the forehead, "I'll see you in the morning."

"Will you?" Enrique asked by the door, "you'll be leaving at nine."

"Yea I guess but Jade will remember and come running into my room before I wake up. We really have to do something about the cot I mean she can climb out of it."

"Jose," Enrique said placing his hands on her shoulders, "I'll look after her while you're gone, get some sleep, buona notte (good night)," he kissed the top of her head and then shoved her away from him, "now get some sleep and leave me alone while I go back and play poker."

Josie poked out her tongue and turned around swiftly coming in contact with a hard chest, "oof," she mumbled getting knocked to the ground.

"Oops sorry Jose," Johnny lent out a hand and pulled the girl up quickly, "thought I'd give you this before you go to bed," he handed over a light blue and pink beyblade. "It's your old one only pimped out," he said smiling, "courtesy of Johnny McGregor and Co."

She chuckled and hugged him tightly, "thanks Johnny," she whispered, "thank you so much," she hugged him again and then looked up, "I'll see you in two months, buona notte," she walked pass him and into her room where she collapsed on the bed, the beyblade still clutched in her hand. Her hardly there snores filled the room as she fell into a deep slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks everyone for the OCs and reviewing and everything, I seriously appreciate it! Lan belongs to Wild Kitsune, Rafaela belongs to ****Maresia Eterna, Cy belongs to Apple Senorita and Yuriko belongs to Kidishcaresh. Thanks for all that guys very descriptive. Anyway I still need a few more for rivalling teams and I know it might sound weird that they're friends from other countries but I'm coming up to that soon. Anyway enjoy the story might sound like its going on forever and I'm terribly sorry. Enjoy! R & R. **

**Chapter two**

Josie stared at the large screen watching the plane movie; she was trying to ignore the guy beside her, her team-mate. Listening to him did have its advantages though, she didn't have to think of her daughter and Enrique saying farewell to her. It had been a very emotional morning, she woke up with Jade lying beside her and then the little girl just clutched onto her neck. Josie didn't cry when she said goodbye, she was only trying to be strong for the fourteen month old; she was on the verge of tears and was again just thinking about the memory. "I got a giant bruise you know because my brother hit me and when he did I punched him back and than I was put into a headlock by my other brother and then I cried for help but no one came…" Cy Ochre pouted as he said all of this. Cy was part of the beyblade team and was the youngest member, he was the main support system for the team, he was like the cheerleader even though he beybladed. The fifteen year old was always full of energy and was always hyper; often he had to be watched so he wouldn't have any sugar which really annoyed Rafaela.

Rafaela didn't really like people who lived off sugar, those people just like Cy. She was the eldest of the group, seventeen and often acted like a babysitter as much as she tried not to. "Cy have you figured out that Jose has her own problems to deal with than, listen to you," she stated blankly also watching the movie. She flicked her red and orange hair out of her face and leaned back and yawned slightly, they had been on the plane for an hour already and she was tired. Rafaela had travelled from Faro (south of Portugal) all the way to China to pick up two of the other team mates Lan and Yuriko. After the journey to China they went and picked up Josie and Cy in Italy.

Growling Rafaela glared at the boy beside her, "stop squirming," she said annoyed. When Cy didn't she turned to Lan and Yuriko, "ok this is how it is alright? Good, I'm sitting where Yuri's sitting, Yuri you're sitting where Lan is sitting and Lan you sit next to Cy." Rafaela stood up and motioned for the younger teens to stand up. They swapped places and Rafaela sighed in delight.

"Hiya Cy!" Lan greeted happily, she smiled brightly at him and then leaned back quickly upon seeing his video camera.

"Say something to the camera Lani," Cy said chuckling and moving in his seat to get a good shot of the girl's face. Lan was fifteen and had platinum blonde hair up to her waist; she was half neko-jin making her eyes cat-like and amber.

She hissed and put her hands up to shield her face, "Cy you're an annoying brat put it away," she cried. Cy and Lan were the closest ones on the team, both being the youngest on the team, though Cy was still younger by a few months. Both of them being the hyper ones in the group made them a perfect team for spying and annoying others.

Finally cracking under the pressure and strain that the two were putting on her ears Josie stood up, "You two are getting on my nerves! Have respect for other people on this plane and sit still for once! If you two don't, you aren't battling in the qualifying rounds," Josie kicked off the blanket and walked to the toilet.

"Well she wasn't all that angry," Cy pointed out, "she would've said all that in Italian." The three girls rolled their eyes and sunk deeper into their seats out of embarrassment.

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"Off to bed guys," Josie sighed setting her bags by the door, "Cy you got the couch," she pointed to the black leather couch in front of the TV, "if I hear the TV…so help you god." She picked up her bags again and then walked into one of the bedrooms. "Lan and Yuri you're sharing a room."

"But Yuri's just had cola; I'm not sharing a room with her she won't shut up." Lan replied sticking her thumb at the giggling girl that was pillow fighting with Cy.

"Now you know how we feel," Rafaela mumbled making Josie smirk at her knowingly.

"She's going to calm down sooner or later, just please, Cy can't share a room with us because he's a guy and Rafaela hates people on sugar and I'm just not in the mood." Josie was begging now, she didn't care much she was tired and fed up and missed her family immensely.

"Alright fine but we better swap," Lan hefted her bag onto her shoulder and moved in the room opposite theirs. Josie sighed and sat on the bed with her head in her hands.

"Don't worry Jose everything's going to be better once the tournament actually starts. We were all bored on that plane so it won't be like this forever," Rafaela smiled and gently nudged their captain, "come on get to bed Jose, we'll need our energy. I'll go check on the others." She smiled calmly and got up and walked out of the bedroom leaving the blonde girl with some peace and quiet.

When Rafaela returned Josie was on the verge of sleeping, she suddenly got the adrenalin rush at remembering the following activities during the next day. "Sleep Jose," The seventeen year old said, smiling the sixteen year old closed her eyes.

It was around three in the morning when Cy woke up to the sound of knocking. He didn't know if he was dreaming so he pinched himself to make sure, it hurt when he did so, getting out of bed fully awake he stopped just beside the bed. A light flicked on in the corridor and he turned around to see Yuri holding her head "get the door," she hissed groaning slightly.

Cy walked towards the door slowly, thoughts running through his mind like who would annoy them in the middle of the night or maybe it's a serial killer. He grabbed his video camera along the way just in case it was a serial killer and they had evidence. He opened the door and was surprised to see no one there; he leaned out of the room and looked down the hall. "Bloody knick knockers," he mumbled closing the door. He noticed Yuri was gone and decided to get back to sleep on the couch.

"You know Batons; it's good to be away from the family for a bit," he yawned pulling the blanket over his head, "I won't be woken up in the middle of the night for nothing, no cookies missing or anything," Cy yawned again and pulled the pillow from the floor. He fell asleep only to be woken again five hours later.

"Wake up! Wake up!" someone yelled in his ear hitting him with a pillow, "take a shower and eat breakfast," Josie threw the pillow down on his face and then started ordering Lan around, "Lani go cook breakfast."

"What! Lan will burn the kitchen down," Rafaela walked out of the bathroom wearing a purple one strap top and black jeans, a jean jacket hung over her arm.

"I will not!"

"You two work it out between yourselves," Josie replied, she turned around and glared at the mess that was on the pull out bed, "Cy wake up honestly you only have another hour before we have to leave." Cy groaned and sat up the white pillow falling onto his lap.

"Who is in the shower?" he grumbled wiping his face tiredly.

"No one, everyone's had one," Josie began fixing the couch once the blonde was gone, when she sniffed due to the winter (she was catching a cold already) she could smell Rafaela's cooking. "Yum…pancakes," she mumbled following her nose into the kitchen.

She watched her friend cook breakfast as the other two began preparing the table. She whirled around and sneezed still bending over clutching her nose, "bless you," they all said simultaneously.

"Thanks," Josie smiled meekly and joined Yuri and Lan at the dining table, "the bus will be here in forty minutes so make sure you haven't forgotten anything. I have the ranking and battle list right here; it'll be you guys today and me on the sidelines."

Cy neared the kitchen upon hearing the sounds of protesting, "what's happening guys?" he asked entering the room drying his hair.

"Jose isn't blading!" Lan said pointing at the blonde Italian girl, "why aren't you blading?" she asked putting her hands on her hips. Lan blew at the annoying piece of hair that fell in front of her face.

"You're here to have fun so you battle this round, we'll swap during the game. Every beyblader knows that the first round is for the audience, it doesn't matter how well you blade because everyone exceeds to the next level. However first impressions are important so please treat this like any qualifying round," Josie said pulling the maple syrup towards her and pouring it over her pancakes, "thanks Raph," she said shortening Rafaela's name.

"But are you sure…" Yuri began putting jam on her pancakes; her voice on the other hand was unsure and uncertain. Her black hair was tied in a side ponytail, a black visor, khaki cargo pants with a black mesh top and a trench coat she is never seen without was her outfit for the day.

"Don't worry," the captain replied smiling, "I'll battle next time promise," they chuckled and ate breakfast, wishing that the day ahead was going to go well.

"It'll go extremely well," Lan said hefting her shoulder bag up, "I mean you trained us," she said bumping Josie with her hip. Both girls chuckled and continued down to the bus or coach that was present. A rosy cheeked man stood outside waiting for them, a red scarf thrown around his neck. When the team reached outside they were blown away by the harsh weather, they all knew it was going to be cold but not this cold, "it'll probably be warmer in the stadium." She said optimistically.

"Before my cold gets worse get on the bus," Josie sniffed putting her hand to her nose, "I'm Josie Tornatone the captain of Anonymous," she smiled at the bus driver.

"Charlie Adams, bus driver for the following two months," the cheery and portly man said extending his right hand. They shook hands and Charlie ushered the team on board, "welcome!" He boomed heartily, "this is your mode of transport," they mumbled nothings and sat down in the nearest seats found.

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**That chapter was just something, I hope you all enjoyed it and I hope that the OCs are sort of like what you hope them to be. So next chapter will be up soon I'm on holidays now so yea, going on a picnic on Monday and my friend is coming over on Tuesday so it should be up by Sunday lol. Anywho sleep tight or whatever I know I will ; ). **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews and OCs again! Lmao. I hope you enjoy this chapter I still think it's uneventful but I promise it will get better. This is another insight to who's beyblading and stuff. Rival teams and all the junk. So enjoy! John belongs to Charizardrage, Prisca belongs to Prisca I think** **(what's you name dudette?) and Rowan belongs to tiger – of – ice. Lanmanth your OC will show up in the next chapter. **

**Chapter three**

He looked left and right at the people walking pass him studying the opposition. His eyes wondered to the well known groups like the Bladebreakers, Demolition Boys, White Tigers and the All Stars, only one team he didn't know anything about, Anonymous. A dispute between one of his team mates and one of theirs did give him an inside look to who they were. Having Rowan that knew the Yuriko girl was good enough, she seemed to know the girl's battling technique fairly well. Flicking his shaggy brown hair out of his face John stood up and entered his locker room, his team mates moving about getting ready for the ceremony.

"Scoped out the teams already have you John," Rowan smirked and turned back to the mirror and tilted her head. Her black and red hair flowed around her hair like a wave, her hazel – green eyes glittering in the light. She looked down and smiled at her beyblade, Janos. Janos resided in her black beyblade, her beyblade having a shiny silver defence ring.

"Don't be nervous," Prisca said moving to her friend and leaning around her friend's slender frame to look at her reflection, "it'll be fun can't you feel the adrenaline rush!" She giggled happily and spun around the room landing roughly on the bench.

John smiled unknowingly and leaned against the wall looking down at his own beyblade, 'we'll win this thing Shadow Wing, I just have this feeling we'll win,' he thought. He smiled as his bitbeast secretly glowed red in agreement.

Further down the corridor of locker rooms Anonymous had their own problems to take care of. "Oh my god I can't breath," Cy gasped hyperventilating, Lan handed him a bag quickly kneeling in front of him. "I never told anyone about that time when my primary school teacher made us perform for the school play, I got the main role and I was so nervous before the actual thing and then I started hyperventi – hyperventi-"

"Hyperventilating?"

"That yes!" Cy said nodding his head roughly so his blonde hair seemed even messier than it was before, "I was doing that and then I almost fainted but I didn't!" He pointed accusingly at Lan who fell on her rear due to shock. "instead I vomited dude you don't know how scared I am of crowds," his face paled as he retold his pass experiences in one breath.

"Demophobia," Josie whispered, "it's a fear of crowds closely linked to Agoraphobia which is like being in crowded public places and being a distance from somewhere safe."

"I'm pyrophobic if that helps Cy," Lan said looking up at him.

"So am I and Arachnophobic," Rafaela smiled peacefully and kneeled beside the boy, "listen facing your fear will only make you stronger use this to an advantage."

"Cy you're not the only one afraid of crowds," Yuri said softly, "I'm scared as well but I realized that your never going to escape from a crowd because one day you will have to make a speech or something."

Josie wet her hands and ran them through the blonde's hair, "yea one day one of your brothers is going to get married and you'll have to deliver a speech, don't listen to the people out there-"

"Once you're battling you won't even notice them," Lan smiled and stood up taking the boy's hand in hers and making him stand up, "we're here for you Cy and trust us nothing is going to happen."

Cy smiled weakly and then turned around to face Josie, "listen Jose I really think the captain should battle first because you have more authority, I'm not feeling up to battling it out today."

"Cy…" Josie sighed and bowed her head, "you'll have to face it sooner or later."

"I'd rather not face it today but tomorrow, first impressions count and you'll make a good one," Cy smiled and then jumped up giving the older girl a noogie, "and I'm not taking no for an answer," he laughed.

The girl's giggled all jumping on top of Cy to wrestle his arm away from their friend, _'could all bladers please line up at their respective gates, thankyou' _they looked up at the PA system and then at each other. They rushed to their bags and pulled out their beyblades before rushing out the door stopping in the middle of the well lit corridor. People rushed back and forth and the main thought on each of their minds was that they were going to lose someone.

"As long as we walk straight down we'll be fine, our gate is right at the end of this corridor!" Josie screamed grabbing someone's hand and pulling them with her.

Once they arrived at their gate Yuri turned to Josie with a frown, "do we just walk out and smile or what?" she asked.

"Just act yourselves, nothings worse than pretending to be someone you're not," Rafaela said pulling Lan out of the crowd.

"_Anonymous!" _

"Shit!" Josie pushed Cy out the door as it opened and followed him out into the stadium. The team of five were blow away by the noise, cheering, jeering and whistling, everything reverberating in the enclosed space making it echo. Yuri spotted some posters being held up by strangers, she thought it weird how a new team could be heard of already.

Josie and Rafaela smiled at each other and then at the crowd, the adrenaline rush was too great. Cy was dragged along by Lan who was waving cheerfully at the crowd and saying things under her breath at the crowd shy boy, "wave or do something come on Cy don't let the team down," she looked pleadingly at him, her amber eyes large.

Cy fumbled around with something in his shoulder bag which he brought along and took out his video camera, "just to preserve the memory and show to my grandkids one day," Lan giggled and let go of the boys arm to blow a kiss at the crowd.

Turning on the camera Cy filmed his friends having fun getting the crowd going and then turned the camera to him, "I still don't like crowds but this isn't all that bad, I guess I better get used to it," he laughed and then filmed some people in the audience. He took interest in a large man eating a hotdog not noticing that the sauce was dripping onto his lap. Finally reaching the bench they all sat down looking around and noticing for the first time the podium, DJ Jazzman and some of the other teams.

Josie studied the Bladebreakers out of interest and knew they were the team that would be difficult to get by. "So many cute guys in one space," Rafaela whispered quietly staring at the Chinese boy, Ray.

"If I catch you fraternising with the enemy I'm not going to look at you the same," Cy said dodging a punch to the upper arm.

Yuri looked at the team coming out of the gate opposite them and glowered, "whatever happens we don't trust that team," she said nodding her head at a group of four, a brown haired boy leading them to their bench.

"The Bandits?" Josie said leaning forward, "that girl with the black and red hair," Josie looked at the girl she was talking about. She was tall with hazel – green eyes, wearing baggy army pants with a black top that had had a statement in bright red letters, 'I'm not a bitch I'm THE bitch.'

"Didn't you have an argument with her before?" Lan asked confused, "who is she Yuri?" she asked tilting her head to the side.

"I met her on the streets when she was trying to sneak out of boarding school. Her father died of lung cancer and her mother wasn't able to look after her so she sent her away, Rowan was pretty cool, collected and really passionate about some things. Don't take her lightly actually don't take the team lightly they don't look like a nice bunch."

"Especially that guy," Cy said scrunching up his nose, "he looks like a Goth."

"He probably is," Josie mumbled crossing her legs. They turned their eyes towards the podium as the spot light shined down on Mr Dickinson.

"Welcome!" Came his booming voice through the speakers, "to the 2005 beyblade tournaments!" Everyone cheered and few people from the teams clapped politely. Mr Dickinson smiled cheerfully at the crowd and continued, "we have a wonderful turn out this year, a wonderful crowd and two new wonderful teams." The spot light moved to shine on Anonymous and the Bandits who tried to lean out of the light but to no avail. "I am not going to bore you with a gigantic speech because most of you should know how everything works. So let the tournament begin!" He cried throwing his arms up. From the ceiling streamers fell and a light show began, everyone gasping in surprise and delight.

"_This is AJ Topper and Brad Best coming to you live from the commentary box!" _AJ Topper announced.

"_Looks like this year's tournament is going to be really difficult with two new teams participating, not much is known about them except that team captain of Anonymous is related to Enrique Tornatore from the Majestics, three years ago." _

"_Well we could just imagine that she'll be just like her brother and bring on a good show, isn't that right Brad?" _

"_Sure is AJ, now moving onto the other members of their team Cy and Lan are the youngest but don't allow their size to fool you they surely do pack a punch."_

"_As does Yuriko who has participated in a competition before. She and her older brother won the 1999 tournament in China; still there isn't any information on her."_ Brad looked to the screen and began the commentary again, _"Rafaela mana banana, I could have fun with her name," he said chuckling. _

Josie, Cy, Lan and Yuri laughed out loud upon hearing the commentary, "they're making fun of us aren't they?" Yuri giggled and lightly bumped Rafaela, "oh you know we ain't going to live this down." She said smiling.

"Ok guys!" DJ Jazzman said coming up to the podium, "today isn't the start of the first round but where our crowd gets to know you. One person from each team is going to battle today and then tomorrow everything starts so be prepared."

"Jose who's battling?" Lan asked looking worried.

"Captains stand up!"

"Enough said," the blonde girl stood up carefully, still feeling slightly nervous at having the spot light shining down on everyone. She felt Rafaela push her forward and took a step towards the podium, once all the captain were standing around the brown haired man he began giving them instructions.

"For who you are battling against today you have to pick a name from the hat," the man pulled his hat off and held out putting piece of paper inside, "so ladies first," he moved the hat to Josie.

Josie bit her lip and turned around to look at her friends; Yuri smiled and made an urging motion. Putting her hand in the hat she withdrew a piece of paper; she opened it with trembling hands and read over the paper, 'Michael, Allstars.' She handed the paper to DJ Jazzman who read the name, "Josie from Anonymous will be going against Michael from the Allstars.

The crowd cheered and her team smiled to themselves, "from one of the tournaments he wasn't all that tough I don't think, Josie should be able to beat him," Lan said optimistically, "she's a good blader."

"That one's going to be interesting," Rafaela leaned forward and placed her elbows on her knees to prop her head up, "Tala versus Kai, they're not really rival but good friends you know."

"Not to mention they're one of the best bladers out there," Cy said zooming into Kai's face. Kai wasn't glowering or glaring at the red head but rather just staring at him impassively, Tala on the other hand was glaring slightly at his old team mate.

"They don't look to happy about it," Lan said biting her lip.

"I don't think they're ever happy…"

"This leaves Lee against that new guy."

"_Now we can finally see new blader John battle it out against Lee from the White Tigers. Isn't this just exciting I can't wait until everything unfurls and we'll be jumping out of our seats due to excitement!"_ Cy could just imagine AJ Topper jumping up and down in his seat and smirked shaking his head. _"It's an hour break while our teams get ready to battle and have a little snack to munch on. So remember everyone eleven o' clock here at ESPN stadium!" _

Josie came back and stared down at her team tiredly, she was just told the rules (there weren't many) but due to her nerves it just took a lot out of her. "Are you alright?" the red and orange haired girl asked standing up and placing a finger underneath her captain's chin. She examined her face and noticed the paleness and shaking.

"I need food," she grumbled closing her eyes, "I'm not up to battling guys, I'm nervous what if I stuff up or something?"

"You will stuff up if you keep thinking like this," Lan placed a hand on her shoulder, "think…optimistically," she smiled brightly and then linked her arm in Josie's, "lets get some food," she said moving her towards their gate.

**This chapter is 3 pages longer so hopefully that's a good thing. So yea there is a few new people and still more to come and no more OCs I got enough. I'm also picking battles out of a hat as well so it isn't biased or** **anything unless I want something changed and something particular to happen. John belongs to Charizardrage, Prisca belongs to Prisca I think**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry it took a while to update! It's all explained at the end of the chapter hope you all enjoy! So read and review guys! Beyblade doesn't belong to me just to let you know and neither do some of the other characters that I can't be fudged writing here. You guys know who you are I just want to post this lol. **

**Chapter four**

She stood at the beydish trying not to look at her opponent, Michael. She was nervous because she knew that first impressions mattered or at least that was what she was told. The first match between Tala and Kai resulted in the dish to be blasted to bits and for both of them to be left glaring and limping back to their teams. Josie just wished her match could be as exhilarating as theirs, just to get the crowd pumping and crying out her name or more like her team name; it was a team glory they were striving for.

"We believe in you!" Lan cried watching the anxious girl slowly unclipping her necklace. She could here her team cheering and the feel of Cy's camera watching her every move. She allowed the silver piece of jewellery to hang loosely from her fingers as she looked up at the blonde boy.

Michael was fairly good looking, long mustard yellow hair that fell in front of his eyes and held back by his baseball cap. His team jersey matched his team colours of red, blue and white with the All Stars' logo stitched to his left upper arm. "We believe in you," he mocked smirking at her, his eyes glittering maliciously. "Listen girl, I just might find it in myself to pity you and throw the match but after that it won't be happening again. You're nervous and won't be able to launch properly so yes I will pity you." He looked sincerely at the girl and placed a fingerless glove to his heart, still mocking her.

Josie let her mouth drop open not believing a word he was saying, he pitied her! He doesn't think she can do it! He's underestimating her! Josie glared at him and moved her hair out of her face roughly, "you should never underestimate anyone and for that matter me. I'll tell you something _Michael _after this match you won't even know what hit you, you'll be so confused that it will have your mind reeling. I learnt from the best and I'm going to prove it." Josie took out her blue and pink beyblade, the one that Johnny had given to her.

"_I don't know how she will prove herself with a pink and blue beyblade, they're sissy colours aren't they?"_ AJ asked his companion.

"_They certainly are but really you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Josie is one skilled beyblader and I don't think you should mess with her."_ Brad replied talking casually into the microphone.

"_How about we look at her stats,"_ AJ looked to the giant screen and started commenting again, _"our little blonde girl is an attacker using her cat angel Azrael. Special move, Waltz so don't misjudge just simple name, it is probably quite deadly." _

"_Michael is a speedy blighter, using Trygle his falcon bitbeast. Its special move Fast Ball Attack! I think you could probably imagine the outcomes with that name." _

"_Oh look it's about to begin, this match will show us how good our new players are." _

"THREE…TWO…ONE…LET IT RIP!" DJ Jazzman cried throwing his arms up and moving out of the way.

During the countdown Josie started by throwing her necklace in the air and allowing it to clip onto her beyblade. The silver chain increased in length and turned into a ripcord allowing her to pull the chain to send the top into the beydish. The sounds of the gears grinding as they worked to spin the beyblade around the dish was all that the two bladers could hear, the sounds of the crowd and their friends ceased to exist.

The sixteen year old captain whispered the same words or in this case numbers over and over again, "one, two, three, one, two, three," it was a special was to control her blade, a synchronisation that allowed it to move fast and in rhythm. She watched Azrael as she dodged the attacks Michael was sending her; the match became a game of cat and mouse which really frustrated the two teenagers. "Come on missy attack already! You're boring!" Michael taunted glaring at her annoyed.

"Maybe you should try harder Michael and then I could put in some effort!" Josie retorted glaring at the older boy. It was a complete and total lie, Josie was putting in a lot of effort and she could feel the sweat breaking out on her forehead but her effort didn't match up to the boy, he was got and bothered.

"Argh! Trygle!" The sound of the gears increased as a giant golden light appeared almost blinding Josie so she couldn't see the spectacular beast. "Attack!" he cried pointing a finger at her. The falcon like creature gave a mighty screech and began circling above Azrael and Josie. As the bird came pelting towards her Josie crossed her arms in front of her defensively. She didn't have enough time to cry an attack or a defensive move; she had no time to call out her bitbeast. Her beyblade took the impact full on sending Josie flying backwards and almost off the stage.

"Josie!" Rafaela cried standing up. They were all standing now worried about their friend who seemed to be groaning weakly.

Josie stood up and glared, her green eyes were glaring ferociously at Michael who seemed to be cackling. "Azrael!" She yelled, the wind picked up speed and her blonde hair flew around her face making her look even more sinister. A grey kitten appeared a meowed innocently at Michael and his beyblade.

"That is your bitbeast?" he said pointing a finger at it, he erupted into another bout of laugher and Josie just glared, "a little kitten, what the hell can it do? Meow and blink it's bright blue eyes!"

"Wrong move buddy, you'll see the full potential of what we can do." Josie held out a hand in front of her, "Azrael Void!" she cried.

"Trygle! Fast Ball Attack!" Michael screamed glowering at the younger girl getting back into the game.

A black hole appeared as Trygle was just a few centimetres away from Azrael sending the bird backwards as it's attack got sucked up. Michael's beyblade was beginning to wobble as was Josie's but with enough power she yelled out a final attack, "Heart Arrow!"

Azrael gave a mighty roar for a small cat and transformed into a tall beautiful angel. It's silver hair gracefully falling back into place along her back and the long ribbons in its hair magically twirling their way around her arms. Azrael in its real form wore a long black dress that seemed to be floating, its skin was pure white almost blinding and her eyes glowered uncannily red. The angel unfurled its long black wings and made a motion as if pulling an arrow from a bow. When it did so the weapon appeared and the arrow was thundering towards Trygle and Michael.

With a final cry Trygle disappeared into the beyblade and came to a stop in the middle of the dish. "Josie of Anonymous wins!" DJ Jazzman cried raising the winner's arm, "a round of applause guys!" The crowd cheered even louder and sooner or later Josie was engulfed in hugs and claps on the back.

"We knew you would win!" Lan cried smiling up at the girl, "you were brilliant out there!"

"I had my team believing in me, I had support," Josie smiled brightly and placed her arms around the shoulders of Lan and Cy, "how about after the tournament we go for ice cream and I'll shout this time." They nodded their heads and sat down at the bench again waiting for the next battle to commence.

_"John looks like he means business but with his emotions you can't tell what he is thinking."_ AJ's voice broke through the stadium as John and Lee began their walk to the beydish. "John has come from England but yet again there isn't any information on this young lad except that he has been blading since he was a young child."

_"John's an attacker or defensive type blader but we aren't to sure. We'll just have to see how he works."_

_"His bitbeast is Shadow Wing a vampire like spirit with the ability to perform Blood Drain. And we know Lee from previous tournaments with his bitbeast Galeon. Major attack: Dark Lightening; which is one shocking move. He came first this year in the China Tournaments so that obviously means something."_ AJ concluded the commentary and decided to watch the tournament as it began.

Lee watched his black beyblade as it moved rapidly around the dish, the blood red beyblade just spinning in the centre. Every time the black haired boy made a move John's beyblade would attack him as if he was trespassing, lucky for the Chinese boy he would dodge the attacks just in time. "Shadow Wing attack," John said watching as Lee frowned in confusion. What was with the sudden attack? It was out of no where.

"Cy are you getting all this?" Rafaela asked sitting on the edge of her seat to watch, "his beyblade style seems a bit wack."

Josie nodded her head frowning as she tried to concentrate, "Aela," she shushed her up and crossed her legs to watch, "quiet, listen."

"I don't hear anything," Yuri replied crossing her eyebrows, "what is it?" she asked looking to their captain.

"Is it that there's only the sound of one beyblade?" Lan asked turning around to look at the girl, "if it is then how?"

"Yea it's the sound of Lee's beyblade but we'll see when I put the data on his laptop." Josie stared at the blonde boy as he concentrated on the match, trying to get it all on film.

A blinding light blue light filled the stadium making everyone gasp, Galeon had just come out of his black blade. John then cried his bitbeast's name making a vampire, bat like creature appear. It gave a mighty screech as it flapped its wings waiting for an attack. "Galeon Tiger slash!" Lee howled watching his black tiger like creature forward.

Galeon unleashed its claws and made a swipe for Shadow Wing who was glowing bright red. "Shadow Wing, Blood Drain," John arched his back and put a hand to his head. The large bat screeched again making the crowd and those around to put their hands to their ears, the high pitched nose reverberating around the room. Shadow Wing bit into the neck of Galeon and looked like it was sucking the life force or the energy from the bitbeast.

Lee gasped and was crying out trying to rescue its slowly defeated bitbeast, "Galeon no!" he fell on his knees and looked at the black beyblade lying on its side. "No," he whispered and picked it up his team came running over and started whispering words of comfort.

"The winner is John!" the referee cried holding the English boy's arm up. The crowd cheered again and Josie growled, she didn't like the boy much and didn't like the Goth when he first entered. Cy was feeling the same and just shut his camera off slightly pissed.

"What's wrong Cy?" Lan asked rubbing the boy on the back.

"His blade spins so fast that it looks like it's hovering, that is why you didn't hear it," he growled, "isn't there some rule about that? That all beyblades must touch the beydish in order for it to be considered BBA qualified?" Yuri frowned in thought and pulled out a rule book from Cy's backpack.

"It doesn't say anything except if you launch before the countdown its instant loss and the opponent wins. It's the same rules Cy," Yuri said putting the book back.

"I'll work it out tonight; it just might be something to do with the velocity and beyblade parts. I'll work out the physics and stuff," Josie replied standing up as they dismissed everyone. "Now I promised ice-cream, everyone up for it!" she laughed when they started shaking their heads, "and then we do shopping."

They groaned and Josie just gave then an annoyed look, "she's right though…we don't have anything in the pantry to eat in the hotel," Rafaela said walking to their locker room, "we need to go shopping."

"Yea it's a need not a want," Josie opened the door and allowed everyone to step in. Before she could enter she looked up and her eyes met for one second with deep mahogany eyes. Kai Hiwatari's eyes, "ok now grab your stuff I'm craving ice cream," she turned to her team who seemed to just be sitting around, their bags over their shoulders.

"Didn't you crave ice cream when you were pre-" Yuri clamped a hand over Lan's mouth and shook her head, a serious look gracing her features.

"Not here," she said. Her black hair fell from its head band and fell like a curtain around her face.

"Yea people can't really know about me and Jade, I just don't want people thinking like they would about me," Josie whispered grabbing her wallet from the locker and placing it in her pocket, "it's just that I don't need the looks from them."

"Oh…I understand," Lan said nodding her head, "just for that matter you're not anything like what those people might think." She stood up and placed a soft hand on Josie's, she smiled softly and then pulled her out the door, "now I want ice cream, remember chocolate chip crunch in a waffle cone."

They laughed and motioned for their team to hurry up. Once they reached the ice cream parlour Josie handed over twenty dollars and looked around the packed out café. When they reached their table she found that a few kids were staring at them in awe. "Why are they staring at us?" the blonde turned to Rafaela.

"They were at the tournament, they asked for our autographs but we sent them away saying we didn't battle yet." The red and orange haired girl put the laden spoon in her mouth and smacked her lips, "thanks for the ice cream Jose."

"No problem, this ice cream is to the future. May we win our battles and have the time of our lives doing so," Josie laughed and began licking at her dessert.

"Here, here," Cy and Lan jumped and turned around staring shocked at the blue haired beyblader, "I'm Tyson and I couldn't have said that any better myself," he held out and hand which the closest could shake.

"Hi Tyson and co," Lan greeted, "I'm Lan and this is Cy and Yuri, that's Rafaela and-"

"Josie," he nodded his head and smirked, "up for a challenge and want to battle," Tyson had a competitive glint in his eyes and Josie rolled her eyes.

"We don't battle outside the tournament," she replied, "sorry Tyson but we'd have to settle it in the stadium." Josie flashed him a brilliant smile and nodded her head at two boys carrying cones. "Your mates are here."

"What's happening here? Max asked and Yuri turned around briefly blushing a magnificent red. She slid down her seat and little and stared at Rafaela from across the table. She smirked and turned to the other team.

"He just asked for a beybattle," the grey eyed girl sat up and leaned forward, "I'm Rafaela and she likes you," she smiled evilly at Yuri who gasped and slid further into her seat. Rafaela hissed at the sharp pain in her shin, the table jolted as she kicked the girl back.

"Yuriko get up!" Josie said leaning under the table, "get your revenge later now put the embarrassment aside and greet the boy," the Italian gave her an understanding look, knowing that she was embarrassed, after all Rafaela had no right.

Max looked at the black haired girl wondering who this girl was, "hi I'm Max," he greeted once she appeared.

"Hi," she replied not looking him fully in the eye. Once all the teams were together they started talking and introducing the members of the teams to each other. They became friend but not all that close that they would talk to each other a lot or even hang out. Really they were acquaintances.

Josie had once again looked Kai in the eyes feeling that had something to tell each other. She didn't know what but she took a great interest in him, she didn't really talk or tried to make conversation except adding her view on a few things her friends would be saying. The two toned blue haired boy just seemed to be sitting there taking it all in, not really caring or probably caring and not saying a word. Josie snapped back from reality and looked into her bag; she fished through the numerous objects and fished out her phone, Enrique.

"Enrique," she said happily, she got up and exited the café to talk to her brother, "what are you doing?" she asked and watched when Kai came outside as well. She turned on her side and leaned against the wall, "great…" she deadpanned upon hearing him saying all the stuff about her on TV, "well how's Jade taking it? That I'm not there or anything? Is she missing her mummy?" Josie gasped and looked at Kai who just stared at her, an emotion flicked in his eyes and she returned to the conversation slowly. "Hi Jade," she cooed and smiled softly upon hearing the soft voice of the young child, "really well I miss you to honey…" she put in the 'yeas and really?' in the right places when she heard of the gibberish that Jade was talking, the same gibberish that only she could understand. "Well Jade tell Enrique that I love him and that I love you as well, I have to go now Jade. Bye," she hung up the phone and looked at the wallpaper of her daughter and Enrique.

"Your daughter," Kai's voice rang in her ears and she quickly snapped the phone shut.

"Don't tell anyone Kai it was a slip of the tongue, no ones supposed to know." Josie replied quickly hiding the phone in her bag, "I have to go now, tell my team I'm at the hotel and I did the shopping. Bye!" she turned on her hell and began walking away when he felt him beside her, "what?" she snapped stopping and glaring at him.

"He had no right to do that to you," he looked Josie square in the eyes.

"Kai don't start," Josie bit out walking again, "it took a lot out of me to make me forget those memories of my daughter's father alright, don't bring them back. I don't know you, you don't know me," she put jabbed him in the chest and walked off this time not stopping.

**A lot happened in this chapter I think. I hope you like it. I found that I had too many ideas for it so that's why it took me forever to right it. I'm kind of happy with this I hope you are. So now I just have to get round to how Josie and Kai know each other and how Yuri knows Yuriko from the previous chapter. Anywho read and review! Love Dark- Cherry. Ps. I haven't proofread because I've been out of it for the past few days and stuff so yea. Sorry for any mistakes. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five**

Yuri groaned as Cy yet again knocked the eight ball into the corner pocket. This was his third game of pool and he had already beaten Rafaela, Yuriko and Lan. Josie had still not returned from her walk but they all knew better than to worry about her, she was very capable of looking after herself and others. "Ok, now pay up," Cy smirked as he held his hand out for the money he earned. Yuri groaned again and fished through her pants pocket for the twenty bucks, "thankyou," he grinned and looked around the room, "anyone else up for a challenge?" he boasted.

"You don't seem like a pool type of guy," Lan said dejectedly. She crossed her arms over her chest and glowered at the table as if it was what caused her to lose.

"I grew up with about four brothers-"

"About? You don't seem to sure," Yuri scoffed sitting down beside the blonde girl.

Cy gave her a small glare and returned to what he was saying, "as I was saying," he shot Yuri another look while he put his cue away, "I grew up with competitive brothers, four competitive brothers and some cousins, they taught me everything I know."

"Oh…well that's not much then," the black Chinese girl looked towards the door as it opened and greeted their leader, "Josie, Cy's bragging."

"Good for him," Josie replied and sat down on the other side of the pool table, "You should all be in bed, we have a very hard training regime to get through." When they all began protesting Josie stood up, "I don't really care, take what I said as advice but it'll be your fault if you can't keep up tomorrow." Before any of them could leave she took out a box and a piece of paper, "thanks to Cy I discovered that John guy's secret." She looked around noticing that they were the only ones in the room but she still didn't trust anything, "we'll go back to the hotel room, walls have ears."

They made their way into their room and sat around on the floor, "so what was in the box?" Yuri asked looking over the blue prints that Josie had been working on. "You got the detail all wrong," she said pointing to the picture of a beyblade.

"Who cares about the detail the writing and working out is more important." Josie snatched the paper away and placed it beside her, "John's beyblade was designed to have two spins. The centre of his blade spins left and the outer rings and everything else spins right-"

"Wouldn't that create a suction force?" Cy asked frowning slightly.

Josie nodded her head and opened the box, "yep-" she slumped in annoyance at getting interrupted again.

"Woot, I got something right!" he cheered punching the air.

"Well whatever. Anyway yes, it does create a suction force so it makes it hover. I made these beauties," she held up a silver object and smiled triumphantly, "I was gone for three hours making these, their almost near weightless but have to be controlled."

"Controlled?" Rafaela raised her eyebrows and took a silver object out of the box.

"Or else it will spin out of control," Josie added slowly, "but they will make the blade faster, the attack and defence will sort of stay the same. But the way I see it is the more speed there is the easier it is to dodge an attack and the more speed will maybe increase the attack but might mean less power but more heat." Josie took out her blade and pulled it apart, "we have to take out the core and replace it with this." She did so and then put her blade together, "I've tried it out and have managed to some what control it. It's still a bit haywire but with more practice and stuff…" She trailed of and pulled the ripcord.

Cy pushed Lan down as the beyblade came towards her, "control it Josie!" he cried watching the beyblade rebounded off a chair leg.

"I'm trying," the Italian girl closed her eyes in concentration and moaned in pain as she felt the energy seep away from her, "stop!" she cried out opening her eyes and collapsing. Yuri caught the blade in her hand as it was hovering right in front of her, "we really should practice but that will happen tomorrow, we also don't need to practice with the core until we think we'll battle the Bandits." Josie sat up and looked at everyone's anxious looks.

Yuri frowned and stared at Josie for sometime, "using the core will use up our energy won't it?"

"Yes but-"

"Leaving us weak and fragile during the battle-"

"But unless we control it, it won't happen," Josie explained clamping a hand over the girl's mouth. She turned quickly to the door and nodded her head at Rafaela who got up and answered it.

"Oh hello guys," she said glancing at Josie who scurried to collect all the equipment. With a flick of her wrist Rafaela threw the beyblade at one of the girls who caught it and threw it to Josie. "Why don't you come in?" She opened the door further to allow the Bladebreakers inside. Max smiled and looked around as Tyson clapped the red and orange haired girl on the back.

"Sorry for this unexpected visit but they wanted to say hello and stuff," Hilary glared at Tyson and Max before bowing her head, "I'll just get them out of here." She was about to move forward when a soft hand was placed on her shoulder.

"It's alright they can stay, but not for too long," the Portuguese girl remembered what their captain said about training in the morning and thought she had to do something about it. "Where are the other two?" she asked noticing Kai and Ray hadn't arrived.

"Oh," Hilary screwed up her face and tried to remember what they said, "I think they went on a walk but would be coming over," she smiled and was ushered into the lounge room.

Josie groaned inwardly thinking of the mess they would have to clean up and the little sleep they would get before tomorrow. Lan was playing poker with Tyson and Max, Cy looking on a bit disgruntled with Yuri assuring him that no type of relationship would perform between them. Rafaela was with Hilary on the couch talking about something or other and the Kenny boy was at the dining room with his laptop. She knew that he must've figured out about John's beyblade and his technique but decided against helping him. Chances are he'd tell someone, not to underestimate him much but he didn't look like a boy that could look after himself in a fight. "Hey Jose?" The sixteen year old looked up and noticed Lan standing by the kitchen door.

"Yea," she replied indifferently. Her mind was more set on a certain blue haired beyblader currently not in the room.

"I'm going out to buy a smoothie, want one?" she asked not noticing that her friend wasn't really paying attention.

"You know what I like," Josie saw the door opening and watched as Kai and Ray entered looking a little bored. "Oh for crying out loud," she breathed out, more people meant the longer they would stay. Kai would want to leave, she mused but it was the Tyson kid that would be persistent. She noticed Yuri blushing suddenly and ducking for the safety of her room, Lan was gone so she was once again alone in the kitchen.

When Josie turned around she groaned but this time didn't hide it, Kai was there, staring at her. "Kai," she greeted condescendingly, she put down the glass she was sipping from and leaned against the counter preferring to stare at the ground then at him. She didn't hear a greeted but knew that he would only nod his head at her. "Are you looking for something to drink?" she asked motioning around the kitchen with her hand.

Josie felt betrayal and anger; she didn't want to see him not after disappearing like her ex-boyfriend did. The only time she saw him after the birth was at a party someone held, she had a picture of them together happy and everything and had expected him to stay or keep in touch. Neither had happened. He left again and she never heard of him again. It hurt to know he never really cared about her being his friend for a year, it hurt that he didn't want to know about his friend's daughter. It just hurt; it hurt more than knowing that Adam didn't want anything to do with Jade. Kai was supposed to be her friend and show support but he ran off as well. Josie knew that Kai never liked Adam and that he only stayed beside her to protect her but if he really wanted to protect her he should've been there.

"Cola," Kai replied looking Josie over, noticing her forlorn expression.

"We don't have cola it gives Yuri a migraine," she explained, "we have lemonade and other soft drinks." Josie leaned up and took a glass from the cabinet and opened the fridge showing a colourful array of soft drinks.

"Lemonade," Kai gestured towards the bottle and brushed his fingers through his light, shaggy blue hair. He watched as her delicate hands poured the white liquid into a green cup, her movements as he tried to deny it were graceful. She acted graceful but that was probably due to her upbringing, she acted nothing like she looked. Josie passed the cup to Kai and leaned against the stove opposite him. Things stayed silent between them as neither knew what to say, it was awkward and each of them being stubborn didn't help. "I wish things were back to the way they were," he mumbled scratching the back of his neck.

"Yea…don't we all," Josie looked down and breathed out slowly, "shouldn't you apologize?" she asked.

"I should-"

"But you won't-"

"And I will," both of them smiled slightly and faced each other. Kai placed his cup on the counter behind him and moved towards Josie enveloping her in a hug, "I'm sorry."

Josie buried her head in his chest and inhaled the sweet smell of musk, "apology accepted," she replied softly. He had changed since she last saw him or touched him for that matter. Muscles adorned his body making him a great site to see and making him look more sinister than he really was. To say the least Josie found her new old friend soon to become a best friend, a total hottie.

Kai knew her smell would linger on him when he left the room. It was nice to know he had her comfort and warmth again; suddenly his life seemed to brighten up at the prospect. Josie had changed during that year, she had worked on her tan and her long slender legs gave a distinct curve, probably from the training regime she kept up. She grew lovely assets that suited her body fine. He knew she attracted a lot of attention from the male population and would know he'd have to beat some people up even if he knew she would probably reject them. Something about the girl he was hugging though seemed different, it was different from the time he was around her before she gave birth. She seemed more mature and intelligent (though he always knew she was intelligent) she had that motherly feeling about her that he couldn't really describe.

"So do you have any pictures of Jade?" He asked leaning away and giving her a small smile that was only reserved for her. Josie returned the smile with one of her own and nodded her head briefly before grabbing his hand and taking him into the lounge.

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Lan walked back into the hotel room carrying two holders of smoothies. It was getting colder by the day seeing as it was soon to be winter. Winter meant Christmas which; meant presents and being with her family. "You better give us one of those girly," Lan stopped drinking and turned around slowly. Her amber like eyes found a tall green haired boy, larger than she was and a distinct look of hatred in his eyes. She didn't like being called girly but the chances of her saying anything might end up in her getting hurt. She knew she was going to lose this round, "come on girly pull out your beyblade and battle," in his hand was a cream beyblade, a very large one at that.

"My captain told us not to battle outside the tournament, she doesn't believe in unfair battles or battles that don't mean anything. I go by that rule as well," Lan nodded her head once and backed off slowly when he advanced on her. She gulped and was suddenly aware of how vulnerable she was.

"So you follow what other people's commands," the boy laughed harshly and Lan grew even more frightened. She knew she could probably stand up to him but he was just so much bigger and probably stronger. "Well kid, if you're not going to battle then we shall settle things the physical way."

Stalling for time and for someone to save her she smiled and leaned into the wall, "are you a girl basher?" she asked suddenly.

"I hit girls, yea," the boy smiled wickedly at her and made a grab for her shirt, "but I don't really want to hurt you little missy, you're pretty." He smiled and opened a door under the grand staircase, "hope you're not claustrophobic," he threw Lan in and slammed the door shut.

Lan sat down and looked around, feeling around the walls for a light switch. Light filled the small stair shaped room making it look gloomy. Cobwebs and spider webs covered corners, some hanging a few inches away from her face. The smoothies lay on the floor next to her, seeping into the ground from when she dropped them.

Hearing a noise outside Lan banged on the door after jiggling the doorknob. "Please help me!" She called out trying not to panic; "please someone help me!" she curled up into a ball and stared at the door for a while. "I have to get out of here," she mumbled rocking backwards and forwards. If any of her friends saw her they'd know something happened, he eyes gave it away. They always changed to slits, cat like if anything. Something they only did when she was angry or scared. The blonde girl started to hum to herself as her eyes were glued to the door.

John hearing the humming went to the side of the stairs; he followed the noise and pushed hard on the door. Lan hissed and shuffled back a few feet as the bright light entered illumination the gloomy space with a bright light. Her eyes looked the English boy over, he didn't seem to mean any harm if anything he seemed to be worried.

John held out a hand and pulled the girl up, "are you alright?" he watched as the quiet girl brushed herself off.

"Do I look alright?" Lan snapped clicking her fingers in front of his face, "I was thrown in a bloody closet by a giant, green haired leprechaun!" She screamed glaring at the boy. Upon seeing it was her saviour she scratched her heads nervously, "I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to scream at you," her voice trailed off and she looked at the floor, "I'm sorry and ah…thanks," she smiled at him slightly and looked away blushing.

John found himself blushing as well and turned away, "it was nothing," he replied, "next time don't' get stuck in a-a closet," he shoved his hands roughly in his black jeans and walked off.

Lan stared after him and smiled to herself, "I'm Lan by the way! My friends call me Lani though!" she called after him giggling slightly.

"I'm John, see you around," his voice travelled throughout the empty reception and seemed to blanket over the young, fifteen year old. She shivered and bit her thumb before skipping all the way back to her room.

**I got half a million ways to start this off and they all sounded so dramatic so I put this in. I hope it's alright; things I think seem a little fast but oh well. There's more in sight to relationships and all that junk. SORRY FOR THE LONG UPDATE! SO yea the first thing is once excuse and the other is I had about five parties in a row and my friend moving into his new bedroom to deal with. Anywho the next update might be sometime after Christmas and possibly before New Years. So Merry Chirstmas or whatever you probably celebrate and a Happy new year! Love Dark Cherry!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six**

Training had been successful and most of them had learnt to control the core. There were still a few technical problems but nothing Josie and Yuri could probably fix. Now they were back in their locker room taking their jackets, gloves and beanies off. It had started snowing much to the displeasure of Lan who absolutely hated wearing anything with long sleeves. "Why'd it have to snow? I can feel a cold coming on," Lan grumbled sniffing loudly. Yuri held out a tissue which Lan took gratefully, Cy let his head fall to the table in the corner and glared at Rafaela.

"I am not made out of sugar!" he cried out frustrated. He licked his arm then continued, "I know I don't like sugar!"

"You've been bouncing up and down for the pass few hours and it's only ten o' clock in the morning," Rafaela deadpanned, "you haven't shut up since six and you've been singing since eight-"

"And dancing since nine," Yuri added taking out a deck of cards and dealing to Josie and Lan.

"It still doesn't mean I'm made out of sugar!" Cy cried out, "I haven't had sugar since…well…" he looked sheepishly at the group and then at the ground, "…since nine," they all pointed at him and exclaimed.

"SEE!" Josie frowned at her cards and placed two cards to discard.

"How many?" Yuri asked.

"Two." Josie replied.

"Three," Lan mumbled and looked at the cards given to her.

They each put their cards down, all of them studying their opponents, "I win," Josie announced leaning back, "straight," Lan and Yuri groaned, "anyway it's almost time to go, lets get ready." Josie put her chair in and took her gloves off as she hadn't done so before. Josie was dressed in tight jeans with blue fuzzy leggings and blue beanie; she wore a yellow shirt and yellow jacket. She pockets her beyblade and stood by the door. As always it was busy in the corridors with bladers running back and forth. She returned to her room and sighed, this was the beginning and this would be their chance for glory.

Josie watched the match with interest; they weren't battling for the day, actually they didn't know when they were blading as matches were chosen out of a hat. As usual Cy was filming everything for data use and for keep sake. Rafaela and Yuri were discussing what was happening and Lan was just bouncing in her seat with excitement. They couldn't hear what Mariah was saying to the silver haired boy, Bryan but he didn't seem to take any notice. "Bryan isn't as ruthless as he was in the first tournament," Rafaela said noticing that his beyblade didn't attack the person but just the opponent's beyblade.

"Well he's probably a bit happier seeing as the Abbey belongs to them now." Josie replied putting her elbows up on the front banister keeping them out of the arena. "I mean if I had two sadistic bastards controlling my life and near killing people than I'd be happy to leave or never to see them again and to just own what they created and making it into a better place would just be great, it ruins their plans."

"Well you know more about it than all of us," Yuri mumbled, her eyes glued to the match.

Yuri was right, she did know more about it than any of them. She was there at the court cases, there to support Kai. She was even at the Abbey with the Demolition Boys finding new rooms and correcting the place to make it more warm and friendly. "You guys don't understand," her voice shook at the memories, "you entered that underground prison cell and you would feel the goose bumps, smell the death and torture, it felt empty and cold." She shivered and felt Lan's warm hand on her shoulder.

"Well you helped make the place warm and inviting, you don't ever have to remember those memories again." She smiled warmly and leaned forward as well, "do we really have to be here, I mean I've got the buzz and stuff but we aren't beyblading! We could be training!" She exclaimed.

"Yea but we need the information," Cy grumbled swapping hands and shaking his left hand as his right held the camera. "If your so bored Lani go back to the hotel room or something, I mean I'd come but I have to record." He trailed off and glared at Josie who glared back.

"You said you'd film I never stopped you this is all you, if I wanted data I'd have done it myself but you insisted," she retorted, "you can go back with Lani and I can record," she shook her head and took the camera from him.

"Are you pissed at me?" Cy asked hesitating slightly.

"Not really I mean I'm bored but someone has to do the work, we need the information so we can win."

"If you're sure," Cy stood up and so did Lan, they both sent her apologizing looks and walked up the stairs, away from the stadium. Cy and Lan looked at each other and sighed, "it's a pity you know that they want to be stuck in there, and it's such a beautiful day." He stretched and smiled at Lan who looked a little sad and disturbed, "Bubs what's wrong?" he asked using his special nickname for her.

"I don't know I feel kind of guilty," she replied leaning on his shoulder when his arm came around. "Do you reckon Jose is angry with us?" she asked quietly.

"Nah, I know Josie really well she's not angry but tired, Enrique called again and everything so she must have been crying herself to sleep." Cy replied, unconsciously his hand began playing with the strands of Lan's long, blonde hair.

"Cy?"

"Yea," he looked down at her calmly and smiled softly.

"You're playing with my hair," she giggled and he immediately pulled his arm away.

"Sorry," he mumbled. His face flushed and turned pink, he tried avoiding her eyes but she simply pulled his arm back around her shoulders. He stared at her surprised but relaxed allowing the girl to put her head on his shoulder. He always felt warm and fuzzy whenever he was around Lan, he knew he liked her and everything but he couldn't help but be shy around girls, girls that he liked. If he had the guts he'd ask her out but he just couldn't. Lan liked the John guy; he saw how she blushed at him when he rescued her. He would do anything, anything at all just to see or make her happy.

"Cy?" Lan looked up at him curiously, she loved the way his unusual one green eye, one blue eye sparkled in the sunlight. His dirty blonde hair, usually left messy was gleaming in the sunlight; he looked like a real angel.

"Yea Lani," he looked down at her again and smiled.

"You want to do something…tonight?" she asked, her hands were fidgeting with the end on her shirt as she looked nervously at the ground.

"As in a date?" Cy asked raising his eyebrows.

"No, I mean yes, I mean…" she smiled shyly at him and blushed, "whatever." She added finally.

"I-I would gladly ac-ac-accept your r-request," Cy answered scratching the back of his neck. "Josie would let us right?" he asked suddenly as they continued walking through the park.

"Yea I mean it's not like anything important is happening tonight." The blonde girl smiled cheerfully and brought his arm around her waist this time, "so a movie or something else?"

"You can decide, really I'd prefer a movie but yea it's up to you."

"A movie it is," she giggled and ran from his arms, "try and catch me!" she yelled running in through the trees.

"Get back here Lani!" Cy called after her, he laughed and ran off after her, only he went a different way.

A few hours later after they had lunch and played around in the park they decided to get back to the hotel. They heard music coming from inside and placed their ears against the cold wood, "Josie," Cy mumbled as he heard the violin, "she always plays that for Jade," he whispered, "Carol of the Bells."

"How many instruments does this child play?"

"Well knowing her for years she can play the piano, violin and flute. Her parents were strict on her and made her take up an instrument; with all the studies she had to do as well it was difficult. But it's paid off; she can now play wonderful music for her daughter." Cy explained opening the door, "Josie always plays Carol of the Bells, personally I like that tune and so does everyone else usually."

The music stopped and their leader looked at them inquiringly, "welcome back," she stated and began to play again, "you know it is well after twelve and for that matter Demolition Boys won against the White Tigers. They had to have a third round because it ended in a draw but yea as I said, D Boys won." Yuri and Rafaela walked in curiously when she heard other voices.

"Oh hey guys," not missing a beat Rafaela stared at the youngest members clasped hands. "Did something happen while we were gone?" she teased as they blushed and let go of each other.

"Um…we're going to watch a movie tonight if that's ok," Cy replied uncomfortably.

"By all means go ahead," Josie replied nonchalantly, "we have nothing to do today it's still the Demolition Boys battle, they're going against the Bandits." She packed away her violin and then looked at the time, "I'll go analyse the video and stuff."

"That is so, so kawaii!" Yuri teased pinching Lan's cheeks, "behave yourselves at the cinemas and I don't want to catch you doing anything I wouldn't do," the Asian girl winked and left the room with her sketch pad.

"That is just what my brother would say…" Cy said in disbelief, "I'd be like getting pounded to the floor and then I'd actually realize that I'd be beaten up so bad, that I wouldn't even make the date." He added slowly frowning, "thank the stars that my brothers aren't anywhere near us." His eyes were wide and all Lan could do was giggle.

"Well my father would probably ask me the twenty questions seeing as he's a full neko-jin and overly protective. But I guess I'd never experience getting beaten up out of love," she sighed and pouted sadly at the ground.

"It isn't out of love," he laughed harshly and shook his head, "siblings belong in hell. Any chance they get to punch you they'd take it," he deadpanned.

"Well your brothers are older than you and put it upon themselves to teach you and annoy as greatly as they can. It's their way of showing affection," Josie walked pass them and frowned at the papers in her hands, she pulled out a highlighter and placed the paper on the wall colouring something in.

"What? Does Enrique do the same thing to you?" Lan asked curious.

"Don't get me started on Enrique," Josie muffled as she held the highlighter lid in her teeth, "he's an egotistical, proud, sneaky, boastful brat who thinks he's God's gift to women." She spat the lid out of her mouth and almost gagged, "never eat a highlighter it doesn't taste nice."

They watched her out of the room curiously but merely shrugged when she disappeared, "why are we still standing?"

"Will you stop moving," Yuri growled as she watched Josie look from the piece of paper on the outdoor table to the laptop.

"I'm trying to work," Josie whined pouting at the black haired girl.

"And I'm trying to draw you working," she said exasperatedly motioning to the sketchpad in her hand.

"Wow Yuri that looks so sweet," Lan complimented smiling as she looked at the sketch of Josie frowning slightly at a laptop.

"Yea…I want to draw pictures of all of you; I did Rafaela's last night while she was sleeping." The Asian girl smirked slightly and turned a page to show them Rafaela with her head turned to the side and her right arm placed on the pillow next to her face while her other arm was across her chest.

"Did you show her?" Cy asked cautious.

"Yea…she said I got her good side and was happy," they giggled softly and each of them stared out into the sunset. It was a lovely vision for them to see, the sun was setting over the skyline of the city and the small lake in front of them reflected everything.

Lan closed her eyes and allowed the cold breeze to flow through her; it was like she was merging herself with the wind. Yuri turned away and gasped, "stay in that position Lani," she mumbled turning to a new page and starting the new masterpiece.

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Soon afterwards Cy and Lan went for their 'date' to the movies. The others didn't seem to mind but unknown to them that someone actually did mind…John. John stared at them angrily, he shouldn't feel jealous, he hardly knew the girl but what did that blonde kid have that he didn't. So he was blonde, tall and handsome but John was like that just a bit on the darker side. And he was English but the Cy guy seemed to be Italian with his accent, why did girls always fall for them, the English are just as good.

He moved stealthily through the bushes to follow them to the cinemas and to keep an eye on Lan. She wasn't exactly his but he was hoping that there could possibly be a chance for them if he knew how well this outing would go. But still…they didn't know much about each other and John didn't really understand why he was actually attracted to the girl. Of course the girl was cute and bubbly but she wasn't really his type now was she?

Yuri looked down from the balcony where she could get a clear view of Lan and Cy walking through the park towards the town. Their hotel was right beside the park and their room was just outside it giving them a clear view of the day's activities if interested. She squinted her eyes and noticed the brown haired boy following the young couple, "I'm going for a walk," she noticed that Josie just waved a hand and that Rafaela wouldn't even notice she was gone.

Slipping out of her seat and taking a warm jacket with her she left the warm hotel room. She was a safe distance from the leader of the Bandits; her martial arts training taught her the art of stealth so she wasn't noticed by him or her friends. "Why Yuri love spying on your friends?" she could recognize that voice anywhere, Rowan.

Turning around her eyes roamed the body of the sixteen year old. Her black and red hair was pulled back by a silver clip and her hazel-green eyes glimmered mischievously. Her eyes then turned to the silver and blue haired girl with grey eyes, Silvina that was her name. The girl was slightly taller than Rowan and had a European look about her; she wore long blue jeans and a pale blue jumper that would keep the biting cold out. "Good evening," Yuri said politely, she wasn't one to make enemies quickly, "I'm Yuriko Chen, but you can call my Yuri." She extended a hand and Silvina quickly shook it.

"Silvina Dufris but you can call me Silver," the girl smiled softly and looked towards where John was hiding in a bush.

"Aren't they a little too old to have a babysitter Yuko?" Rowan asked Yuri using her nickname for her.

"Well…Ran," Ran was Yuri's nickname for her, "your captain is following my two team mates, I'm just making sure he doesn't cause any trouble." Yuri glanced and kept her eyes on John as she talked to the two other girls. "Would you have any idea why your captain is following them?" she asked.

"Maybe John has feelings for the blonde girl; maybe John is jealous of the blonde boy yes?" Silvina asked Rowan who looked slightly suspicious of her leader.

"He doesn't have feelings, he's a Goth," Rowan answered in a matter of fact manner.

"What have I told you about not judging a book bys its cover Ran," Yuri reprimanded laughing slightly.

The black and red haired girl rolled her eyes and nodded towards them, "you better catch up to them, just don't get seen," she said smirking. Yuri returned the smirked and waved at them muttering a goodbye and then running off to catch up with the three people. "The same as always," she smiled satisfactorily and pulled Silvina with her as they returned to their seat by the lake.

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Sorry it took a while to update! But yea it's been quite busy, I was at my boyfriend's so I couldn't do it today and the other days I was shopping with my mum (it was so crap…) and tomorrow I have my first job interview and my boyfriend is more nervous than I am and he won't shut up about me going to bed and all this argh! I'm still slightly nervous I hope I get it; it'd just give me something to do in my rather boring life. Anyway it's like 28 days until my birthday! And a month until I start school! I'm kind of excited because I miss all my friends and stuff and my vending machine and lunch spot. I'm going to Thailand in September but hopefully the story might be finished by then and depending on where this is going there could be a sequel. But don't get your hopes up yet.

**Reviews needed! Ideas would help! Constructive criticism would help also. So review please I don't really like freeloaders lol. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter seven**

Lan wiped the sweat off her brow and stayed in her defensive position as she watched the beyblader expectantly. She had almost been knocked off the stage by the force of the attack Prisca had sent her way, Prisca's beyblade Aranzer, a silver phoenix with crimson eyes, two gold bracelets glittered from the miraculous Thunder Tail attack.

Lan's lynx cub Nyx pawed at the ground in rage, like Aranzer its silver armour glittered in the spotlight. "Attack," Lan pointed at the black and silver beyblade watching as her light silver beyblade hit it with enough force for it to chip a little piece away from the attack ring.

Prisca smiled, "I hope you and I remain friends after this battle because I wouldn't want to ruin the beginning of a wonderful relationship." Her light blue eyes sparkled with happiness and genuine warmth.

"You aren't high are you?" Lan asked her eyes glancing up suspiciously.

"No I'm not," Prisca raised a hand and then brightened her smile, "Aranzer Silver Flame!"

Lan gasped and crossed her arms in front of her; she had fallen for the innocent girl's charm. "Assassin's Arrow," the blonde choked out coughing slightly at the big whirlwind of flames and ash. Nyx began spinning faster and due to the core that Josie had installed her blade suddenly disappeared instead of being cloaked as it usually did with the attack. Copies of the silver blade appeared confusing Prisca and her black beyblade, "sorry love but this match is over," Lan glared at Prisca and then caught her beyblade leaving her opponent's one chipping and dead in the middle of the dish.

Prisca frowned and picked up Aranzer, "I don't understand…" her voice trailed off as she stared at the damaged object, "Aranzer?" her voice was so soft and was hardly heard until Lan came up to her and placed a comforting arm around the girl's shoulder.

"How about after the tournament today we go for some ice-cream?" She asked smiling at the fifteen year old. "I'm sure my captain would happily pay," her voice was light and cheerful.

Prisca looked at the girl next to her and smiled softly, "I guess it would be alright," she replied she then glanced at John who was impassive which she took as a sign as 'get here now!' "I better get back, congratulations Lan!" They giggled and both ran in opposite directions towards their teams.

"Well done Lani," Yuri congratulated, she high-fived the younger girl and then pulled the girl down into the seat beside her, "we knew you could do it."

"Once I started I got into the buzz and felt determined to win," the blonde replied.

"You did well out there Lani, we're proud of you," Josie, who had finally finished saving off the data looked up and smiled, "you deserve an ice cream."

"Yea I know, you're paying for me and Prisca," Josie rolled her eyes and then turned to Cy, "how are you doing little psycho?" she asked softly.

Cy was siting to one side away from everyone else, he had a vacant expression on his face which had been there since his match with John. Rafaela had won her match against Silvina and now the only person to battle was Yuri who had put on a fake smile to cover her nervousness. Yuri was yet to verse Rowan who was once a close friend, who she knew from the streets and hadn't kept in touch for a few years.

"Oh Cy are you still bumming over your, you know." Lan sat beside him and slung an arm around his shoulder.

"Loss," he mumbled.

"Cy," Lan sighed and leaned on his shoulder, "letting this battle get to you is only making him happy, just think of it as a lesson to be learnt alright, you lost means that you can improve." She smiled and hugged him, "don't be angry over nothing we're here to have fun."

Cy smiled lightly and placed an arm around her waist, "you always make me see the bright side of things Lani," he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. Lan giggled and blushed hiding her face in his shirt, she was the only one to do that to him…other than John who had started showing a bit more interest in her.

Josie had the camera facing them the whole time, "blackmail, the art to pressure someone by using information they don't want the world to see." She and Yuri giggled softly and then they looked up hearing the announcer call the black haired girl forward. "Good luck Yuri, don't worry alright."

"Yuri we know you can do it!" Lan and Cy called out slapping her hand as she walked pass.

"Luck Yuri," Rafaela smiled and squeezed her friends hand to reassure her. "We'll be rooting for you," Josie shuddered and clamped her eyes shut.

"Dirty thoughts, dirty thoughts," she mumbled shaking her head. Yuri laughed and walked up to the beydish slowly, Rowan was already standing opposite her, a smirk on her face.

Breathing out Yuri set up her blue beyblade into its launcher and tried to relax, when DJ Jazzman asked them if they were ready both of them nodded and soon the battle had began. "Janos attack!" Rowan cried out pointing at Yuri's blade.

"Shin," Yuri mumbled watching her blade getting attacked at by the black and silver blur.

"What's up?" Rafaela asked worriedly, this wasn't like Yuri she was the best blader out of them and she was getting attacked ruthlessly.

"She doesn't think she can do it," Josie whispered, her glance kept switching to Cy who was filming everything. "Yuri calm down, this is just a game, do it for fun, have fun for the team Yuri!" Josie called out.

Coming to her senses Yuri stood up straighter and glanced up at Rowan who was still smirking, reverting her eyes back to the match at hand Yuri breathed out, "Shin do it for me, do it for the team, shadow blaster!" A teenage looking boy stood above her beyblade, its bat like wings flapping to keep him suspended in the air. The scythe he held came lashing out sending numerous balls of black energy at Rowan's Janos.

"Janos! Silver Seven!" Rowan crossed her arms in front of her body as she slid back from the impact of the attack. Her eagle-demon bitbeast flew out of its bitchip and hovered in the air, its silver tipped wings glowed brilliant silver before sending bolt of lightening after Shin.

"Yuri's losing energy," Cy yelled at Josie over the fierce roar of Shin and Janos, "she won't survive much longer!"

"Have faith in her Cy! This is Yuri we're talking about!" Rafaela cried out clutching onto the seat as gusts of wind were billowing around them.

"Two powerful bitbeasts, neither of them are an element of wind and yet it feels like a hurricane is about to form. This won't be no ordinary match, they're too powerful and both of them are to determined to win, someone is going to get hurt!" Josie held a hand above her eyes as her other hand tried to keep her skirt down.

Gasping for air as it felt like a vacuum was sucking all the oxygen out Yuri squinted her eyes towards the beydish where the battle was continuing, "attack Shin attack!" Yuri cried out crouching down a bit.

"THOR!" Rowan yelled not able to stand the wind anymore. Her eagle bitbeast cried and suddenly a giant flash of silver filled the arena, as it went away the bitbeast was shining, bolts of lightening hitting the dish. Yuri's eyes widened and she covered her eyes as Janos went for a dive towards her beyblade.

Feeling the ground leave her feet she flew through the air and landed on the floor in a heap, something clattered beside her and she immediately knew it was Shin. "I'm sorry I let you down Shin," she whispered before her world went to black.

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"We can take care of her from here thankyou," Josie said sternly before sitting on the edge of Yuri's bed with a damp towel.

"So does this mean that's she not battling whenever we have to battle the All Stars?" Cy asked softly as he watched his best friend wiped at the Asian's grimy face.

"Well I was going to battle in this time so yea I guess, um…Cy can you get me Yuri's night clothes?" Josie asked as she placed the towel back in the bowl.

"Yea sure," the fifteen year old boy grabbed a dark blue night shirt and some blue three quarter night pants. Handing them over he left the room, "I'll leave you to change her, I'll go boil the pasta and stuff." Josie nodded and began to change Yuri's torn and dirty clothes.

"You did well out there Yuri and I'm proud of you, now when you are better I'll treat you to a chocolate sundae," the sixteen year old smiled softly and then stood up, "wake up soon alright," trailing a finger against her friends cheek she soon left the room to Lan and Rafaela who was sitting in the lounge looking a little worried.

"How is she?" Lan jumped up and strode quickly over to their captain.

"She'll be up after dinner or during the night when we're asleep."

"Should one of us stay up to make sure if she does wake up or something-"

"Cy would surely hear her if she wakes up or you Rafaela now that Lani sleeps in my room," Josie said in a stern tone. "But if anything you sleep like a log and Cy's a light sleeper, we're still having that nick-knocking dilemma happening so he'll be up during the night probably."

"Alright. Cy told us you're battling this round," Lan smiled suddenly and then sat back down on the couch to turn the TV on, "see it's a good idea to have five on a team."

"Ok so tomorrow is Friday and I have Kenny who said he will be collecting data on tomorrow's battles which are Bladebreakers versus White Tigers. I'm going to be there around lunch time to cheer for Kai and stuff but I actually get a chance to sleep in tomorrow. Which of you are going to go watch with me?" None of them put their hands up until Cy came out of the kitchen smiling.

"I'll come Jose," Cy shrugged and smiled, "but only if you come and make the sauce cause I always manage to do something wrong." He pouted and Josie smiled before following him into the kitchen to begin cooking the pasta sauce.

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"So any reason why we're walking through the park at nine o' clock at night?" Josie asked as she pulled Kai to sit with her by the frozen lake.

Josie was pulled out of her hotel room by the blue haired boy and into the park, she was of course used to him doing this as he used to take her on a walk back when she was in Russia. It was also rather cold as it was another week and a bit before Christmas and because they were in America it was going to snow soon. She was wearing a black skirt with black leggings and big fluffy baby blue boots, a blue turtleneck hardly kept her upper body warm but she had a knee long black trench coat with double silver buttons up the front on her cuff. She decided not to wear her beanie and scarf and now she wished she had.

"Did you just want my company Kai?" Josie teased as he didn't answer her previous question. She smiled at the rosy tint to his cheeks, she always thought that was adorable on him and once she even voiced her opinion only to receive a glare. "And why did you ask me to bring my ice skates? We can't skate on that we don't know if it's safe."

"People were skating on there early this morning it's safe," he said looking down into her green eyes.

"If you say so Phoenix," she grabbed her skates and laced them up tightly to her feet. She felt Kai's warm gaze on her and she smiled, "come Kai lets get out there already, wish we brought Rafaela she would enjoy this."

They slid onto the ice and skated a bit getting used to the rough surface. It was a quiet evening and both the teenagers were enjoying each others company. Josie was daydreaming but was soon snapped out of her daze by Kai who swiftly grabbed her hand and changed her direction. "Huh?" she said dumbly.

"You almost skated into the snow," Kai said rather gruffly.

"Oh…thanks Kai," she whispered and then let go of his hand to skate in front of him, skating backwards she giggled and then skated off and did an axle jump.

"How?"

"Enrique and Oliver were teaching me at home," Josie then chuckled, "Johnny fell right on his but when he tried."

"I'd never take Enrique to figure skate or whatever."

"Yea I guess but Enrique's change even though he still thinks highly of himself."

Kai nodded his head and then leaned behind a tree and pulled out two ice hockey sticks. "Kai I can't play remember, the last time I tried it really hurt, I fell on my butt multiple times." Josie said skating away from the advancing seventeen year old. "Kai!" she shrieked as he grabbed her wrist making her lose balance and land on top of him.

Leaning up Josie looked down on him with an 'I told you so' look. Kai was half glaring and half smirking as he lay beneath her, "am I crushing you Hiwatari?" she asked jokingly.

Kai shook his head and Josie smirked, "well…as much as I so audibly love to be on top of you and knowing me I always seem to fall asleep as it happens so often, I really must be getting up to continue running away from you and your so forever evil hockey sticks." Josie winked at him and rolled off him onto the snow where they had landed. She gasped and pointed up, "oh my, it's snowing!" she giggled and closed her eyes. She felt Kai sit up beside her also watching the snowflakes landing around them.

"I'm glad we're friends again, I missed you so much. I love you Kai," Josie hugged him tightly and laid her head on his chest as she slowly fell asleep.

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**JUST TO LET YOU KNOW JOSIE ONLY LOVES KAI AS A FRIEND! Ok and I'm sorry that it took a while to get this up but I didn't know what to write for this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it and sorry if it's a bit shorter than usual. I really need some ideas guys so please send in some! **

**And I'm not really going to be all that busy apart from three birthdays coming up (in which one of them belongs to me, February the 3rd remember that lol). But yea I'm going to be home alone for a month so I should be able to write something in that time. Also I didn't get the job but now that I think about it I don't really care lol. **

**Read and Review! **

**P.S: sorry for any spelling mistakes and whatnot because I haven't proofread because it is way to hot and I really cbf. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter eight**

Josie was in a pretty bad mood for the past few days the only highlight was that they made it into the second round…the All Stars and White Tigers on the other hand didn't. So really it was the Demolition Boys, the Bandits, Bladebreakers and Anonymous. But the reason why Josie was in a foul mood was one: she had her period, two: they wouldn't let it go that she only loved Kai as a friend (as it had appeared in most teenager magazines and other tabloids) and three: she would have to be travelling back to Italy on an empty stomach.

Josie had already bid farewell to Lan, Yuri and Rafaela at the airport, they each had different flights because they decided to go back to their home country for Christmas. Cy, who lived in Italy was travelling with Josie and was trying his best to keep away from her. Kai and the Demolition Boys had been invited by the blonde haired captain to go back to her mansion for the winter; she didn't believe that a group of boys should spend the holiday alone or in a cold and empty place like the Abbey.

The Demolition Boys weren't too happy with the arrangements but they each couldn't really resist the kind gesture and Josie's hospitality. They agreed with her, they didn't want to spend the short break by themselves, so here they were waiting in the terminal for their flight to arrive, all of them utterly bored, Cy especially. The fifteen year old was the only one able to get away from the crowd of fans and was currently sitting in the corner hiding his face behind some corny glasses and a week old newspaper.

Josie who was slightly claustrophobic was leaning back against one of the boys she knew. Bryan turned around and looked down at the cowering girl, he didn't understand she faced crowds often but she didn't often like surprises either and this was a surprise. Shock he assumed it to be. "Are you alright Josie?" Tala leaned down and looked her squarely in the eyes, his eyes were hard not liking the crowd one bit. Shaking her head no and noticing that the room was getting smaller she leaned back more whimpering, "I've never seen you so vulnerable."

"Je-sus Tala get her out of here!" Bryan snapped suddenly breaking his calm and stony attitude.

Tala glared at the silver haired boy and then down at Josie who was biting her lip, grabbing her hand and sighing he pulled her out of the crowd. "Great…security comes now…" he mumbled as he pushed the blonde down roughly in a spare seat.

Cy looking up from an interesting article in the newspaper saw Josie and moved towards her, "you got out finally…oh yea…you're claustrophobic, fear of Santa," Cy scratched the back of his neck sheepishly and shrugged, "well on the bright side our flight has just arrived." Josie blew out a breath that she didn't know she held in and smiled slightly at the two boys, "thanks Tala," she whispered.

Tala nodded his head to acknowledge he heard and then watched as Kai and the others made their way out of the slowly disappearing crowd. They then noticed Ian coming back from the toilets. "Where were you?" Josie asked curiously.

"I was in the toilet."

"Damn small people and their ability to get out of crowds." She mumbled dejectedly as she lifted her carry on bag and her ticket.

"You know you're pretty small to Jose," Cy said, "I happen to actually be taller then you-"

"Yea but I'm afraid of confined spaces," Josie snapped irritated.

"Time of the month?"

"Yes," Josie hissed, to add to the list of why she was in a bad mood you could probably add getting stuck in a crowd. The boys exchanged knowing looks or more then others as the Demolition Boys didn't get the chance to be with many girls, most of them preferring having nothing to do with the group.

Josie had been teaching Cy to play poker once they got on the plane as the others either talked in low voices or tried to ignore other passengers. "Any coffee, tea, or drinks and snacks for anyone?" the air hostess asked stopping next to their isle.

Josie looked up and smiled, "a coke please, Cy, Kai?" she turned her attention to Kai and Cy who were also looking at the air hostess.

"I'll have a coke also." Cy replied. Kai shook his head and returned to closing his eyes and sleeping or thinking no one could tell.

Josie and Cy packed up the cards and pulled down their trays so they could place their drinks on. "So you're holding the ball again or is it just going to be a dinner?" Cy asked, Josie's family either held a ball or a family dinner but either way both had a lot of people attending.

"I'm not sure…" Josie said slowly, "I mean I don't think we're having a ball because I would have had sooner notice, Enrique would have called. I think it's just going to be just our family this year I mean we don't have family dinners often. I can't wait though, I love Christmas with the family, mum and I cook dinner giving the maids and such a break, Enrique and dad would have decorated the tree and so would Jade seeing as she would want to help and if Enrique's lucky the guys might come over for a coffee and cake." Josie sighed.

"I think mum and my cousins are cooking dinner, Daniel, Peter, Michael, Ross and I will be having snowball fights and Dad and nonno and nonna will be something or other probably trying to get Uncle Louie to play Babbo Natale." Cy laughed and Josie smiled on the verge of laughing.

"We tried that once with Johnny, we were gonna stuff a pillow up his shirt and make his wear a beard but he just threatened us all, it was hilarious," Josie yawned and then sighed. "I can't wait to get back home, I miss Jade so much."

Josie yawned and noticed that it was still light outside, they had taken the five o' clock morning flight and the sun had just risen. She yawned and leaned her head back against the seat, she was rather bored and there were a lot more hours left. As she was about to say something Cy beat her to it, "Jose I'm going to swap seats with Kai, talk to Ian for a bit, alright?"

Josie smiled and nodded her head, when Kai was seated next to her she placed her head on his shoulder and smiled up at him, "good morning sunshine!" she greeted a little more cheerfully.

"Hmm," was his reply, rolling her eyes she closed her eyes and decided that some sleep might do her fine.

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"Welcome to Tornatone Manor," Josie said as they arrived through the giant iron wrought gates. She smiled as the fairy lights set up for the holiday season lit up the giant garden making the whole atmosphere seem magical. As they arrived in front of the door her brother, daughter and some friends were waiting for them, Josie's smile brightened when she saw Jade, she hadn't changed much maybe her hair might have grown a bit longer during the two weeks she was gone.

As the car came to a stop Josie jumped out of the car over Tala's legs and pulled Jade out of Enrique's hands. "Did you miss me? Oh my, did you get taller or am I shrinking?" the sixteen year old started placing kisses every where on the fourteen month olds' face. The blonde haired child giggled and squirmed in her arms.

"Mama," the child was most certainly Italian, her accent but still the child understood English well. Jade moved around to face the other boys curiously; turning around Josie smiled and introduced her baby to the teens who looked dumbfounded. Cy would have explained everything but he was dropped off at his house where he was greeted by lots of hugs and kisses by his family.

"This is my baby girl Jade, the thing that was in my stomach the last time we saw each other before I left to come back home." Josie kissed her daughter's temple softly and turned around at hearing the forced cough behind her. "Oh Enrique!" Josie giggled and then hugged her older brother with difficulty seeing as she was carrying her bundle of joy. "What did you do to your hair?" she gasped running a hand through his silky locks.

"I got highlights," he smiled his brilliant smile and then waved at the guys behind Josie, "hows it going? Long time eh?" he walked forward and began unloading the limo, "the servants are on break so we have to do everything ourselves." He informed them as he shook their hands.

"I know," Josie answered going in to kiss Robert on the cheek, "well guys go on inside, Kai you show them into the lounge while we get the bags." She ushered them into the large house before they could protest and put Jade in Kai's arms who looked awkward for a minute before turning around and going into the lounge. "Now come on you strong muscular boys lets go this."

"Josie I have to tell you something," Enrique panted as he put an extremely heavy bag on the ground.

"What?" Josie stood up and looked at him sternly.

"Well for one Jade is learning to eat by herself, she's trying to walk up the stairs and has a knack for moving objects," she smiled proudly at that, "other then that the family's coming over." He sighed and instantly her smile vanished.

"The family, when you say that do you mean the whole family or just mum and dad and a few others?" Josie had moved forward a look as if she was saying 'if it's the whole family I'll scream' crossed with 'if it isn't the whole family then why are you telling me this,' kind of look on her face.

Enrique chuckled nervously and glanced at his friends who were trying not to laugh, "well…t-the whole family plus Johnny's, Oliver's and Robert's family, for Christmas dinner." He breathed out and looked apologetically at his sister.

Josie smiled bitterly and then looked up an angry glint in her eyes, suddenly she began speaking in rapid Italian with her brother who had paled considerably and was even backing away. "Madonna!" She cried and with a final glare she turned around swiftly and walked up to the giant oak doors, "Enrique you could have at least warned me before hand!" She said in English and with that she went into the house leaving them to get the bags.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter nine – (During the holiday with Rafaela)**

Rafaela placed her bags in her room – a rather small room at that but none the less she still loved it and always called the rather small cottage home. The house wasn't that far from the coffee shop her aunty owned and her job there, as much as the pay wasn't that great it helped her mother out immensely. They weren't one of the richest people around or one of the poorest but they got around. Her mother was having trouble, after the divorce and such she was just a little out of it and always tried to hide it from her only daughter.

The divorce had all occurred because Rafaela's father had an affair with another woman, all in all during his marriage with Mariana. That circumstance made Rafaela vow never to fall in love and one could say she had a fear of getting hurt. Mariana after that, though still young and quite beautiful was having trouble giving the 'perfect' life to the red and orange haired girl. Both of the women had, though, accepted Rafaela's father's daughter and in Rafaela's case half sister Mesi into their small family, Mesi not having anything to do with Amir's behaviour.

"Honey," the knock at the door brought Rafaela out of her thoughts, "can I come in? I have news." The Portugal woman entered warily but smiled brightly upon seeing her daughter. Rafaela jumped up from the bed and hugged her mother tightly, "welcome back Aela," she whispered stroking her lovely hair.

"Oh mum, I missed you," Rafaela said kissing the tan woman's cheek, "how has it been?" she asked.

"Your father has not given me any grief Aela," Mariana said sternly, "but I have wonderful news, Mesi's staying for the two weeks so it won't be the two of us." Marianna was in her early thirties and still looked in her twenties, the only thing that gave her away were the bags under her eyes and the oncoming wrinkles but the bright smile remained the same. Her hair was long and red somewhat clashing with her very tan skin.

Rafaela frowned slightly, "but isn't she supposed to stay with them?" she put extra emphasis on the last word and returned back to her bed as her mother went about straightening some things out.

"Let's just say you're having a very 'bad' influence on your sister," Marianna looked at the seventeen year old unimpressed but went back to opening the blinds.

Rafaela snickered quietly and then shrugged, "at least I'll have company," upon noticing her mother's mock hurtful expression she quickly added, "I meant more company," she smiled sheepishly and then looked at the picture on her bedside table. "So mum…did you see me on TV?"

"Yes, I mean I didn't understand a thing that was going on but I saw you and you did, good?" Marianna frowned slightly but smiled sheepishly, "sorry."

"Oh, it's alright I didn't expect you to understand but I guess you sort of cheered me on right?"

"Of course."

"Thanks mum," Rafaela smiled and then glanced at her bag. She looked up to notice her mum already out the door, "oh man…" she grumbled but set to work on unpacking – without her mother's help.

A few days well into the second week and it was Christmas, so far it just wasn't Rafaela's family that was over but also half of the small village was over to celebrate. Rafaela was found beside her sister smiling at the giant horde of people, "this hasn't happened since two Christmases ago." She said unconsciously, the laughing and smiling, the joyful music and the smell of food from the other women in the village, it brought back so many memories most of them showing her father – which in the end made her slightly angry.

"What hasn't happened?" Mesi, a small twelve year old girl asked, she looked up with big bright eyes, the same kind as Rafaela.

"These kind of parties when the whole village comes out and celebrates, they always come here because of mum's cooking." An eighteen year old boy came up to them carrying a large present, "what is he doing?" she gasped.

"Hey Rafaela Banana Manana," the boy had black hair and he smiled brightly holding out the present, "a gift for my favourite girl." Rafaela stared warily at the box, "and I didn't booby trap it or nothing."

She undid the ribbon and took the lid off the box and stared at the wooden sculpture. It was of a sculpture of her in a wonderful flowing dress, she was posing, that was one thing she noticed and the other was that she looked far more feminine than she acted. "My breasts aren't that big, I'm posing and I'm wearing a dress."

"Yea, well you should more often," the boy smiled coyly at her and then opened the lid of the box so she could place it back in, "do you like it?" he asked.

"Love it, thanks Ramiel," the grey eyed girl grasped him in a tight hug and pulled something from her pocket, "for you're childish ways I found that you might enjoy this." She handed him a little box in which held a finger toy. His stared at it confused but Rafaela just placed his index finger of his right hand in one side and the other index finger in the other. He gasped and pulled but his fingers were stuck. "You look like an idiot squirming around like that."

He glared at her and walked off mumbled, "that wasn't very nice," Mesi said but her eyes deceived her.

"Oh well, who said I was nice?" Rafaela smiled and then pulled her sister onto the dance floor and twirled her. The many people cheered and screamed out as they watched the two girls twirling happily about in time with the music, it was only early evening and the festivities were still running. Rafaela suddenly stopped in a mid spin and stared at the dark haired man that was staring at her from a distance. "Amir," she gasped, her father was there, standing tall and proud behind a crowd of villagers that seemed to dislike him.

Walking as in a trance she made her way to the dark haired man, Mesi was crying out to her, confused as to why she suddenly left. Marianna, also noticed that Rafaela had suddenly disappeared, watching her with serious eyes she saw her only daughter met up with a man – one that had hurt her and Rafaela.

"What are you doing here?" Rafaela hissed her greys eyes glinted angrily. Unconsciously her hands were balled into tight fists, "what are you doing here? Get back to your wife, it's Christmas for chirssake leave us alone!"

"Is that any way to talk to your father Aela?" the orange haired man said seriously.

"Don't you call me Aela, it's only a name reserved for friends! And you are no father of mine!" Rafaela glared at him and stood back straight, a look of utter confidence lighting up her features.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that ever again Rafaela," Amir growled.

"You're not wanted here Amir," Marianna appeared beside her daughter and stared sternly at her ex-husband.

"Yea," Rafaela added in childish.

"Rafaela leave us," Marianna snapped. Rafaela, knowing that no way would she be able to stay with her father being a strict 'bastard' (in Rafaela's words) and her mother's (all of a sudden bitchy) mood she walked off in a huff.

She watched from a safe distance and had even climbed through her bedroom window to listen at the door to the lounge. "…you saw her on the TV, acting like a fool! What do you think you were doing allowing her to go all the way to America?" Amir shouted.

"I was allowing her to live her dream!" Marianna replied, Rafaela could imagine her mother give a hard shove to her 'father'.

"And she still made herself look like a fool! I want her to come home with me."

"I will not allow you to take my daughter away from me, she hates you, and you would have no power over her!"

"I can control my daughter like I can control Mesi."

"Rafaela is soon to be eighteen and after that she can leave, you don't even care about her!" By now Rafaela was biting her lip so hard it was close to drawing blood, her grey eyes, cloudy as she thought of her mother's words and her father's words. "…or else you wouldn't have left us to go with another woman!"

"She is coming with me and that is final!"

"It is not! It isn't!" Rafaela cried standing in the doorway and glaring at her father, "you are not going to take me anywhere! I am going to Italy in a few days and I am going to compete in this tournament and no one will stop me!" Tears were falling like a river from her eyes, with a final look at her parents she ran into her room and locked her door to begin packing, "and I'm leaving tomorrow, I'm sure Josie wouldn't mind if I came early!"

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Great Christmas she's having eh? Ah well poor Rafaela, sorry for the dramatics and drama but I thought I'd do a history sort of thing you know, what's it like at Rafaela's household and such. I'm doing it for each of the characters, so you all better be looking forward to it!

Anyway sorry about the lateness but school started and year eleven sucks ass. I have no one in my homeroom and those that I do I don't talk to because their assholes of the school and everything. I have tons of homework, stupid VCE year, I'm doing all tough subjects and my physics teach is an absolute IDIOT! He doesn't teach us jack shit and argh…I'd be here all day explaining. Anyway I got holidays soon because of Commonwealth games – like anyone really cares but hey four weeks off that's alright.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter ten (Rowan and John)**

Rowan, clad in a think jacket and warm snow pants left the house in order to find her friend in the large city of London. John was nearby and she wasn't about to let him spend Christmas all by himself, she was a big believer of spending such holidays with family, even if it wasn't at her own home. A few days earlier they had travelled from Japan to England to spend time with her deceased father's family; she didn't object and found that the family she hardly ever saw to be quite relaxing.

Shivering Rowan pulled the jacket tighter around her body whilst trying to fix up her beanie, it was snowing so in her mind it was the perfect Christmas. The streets were hardly empty as kids ran around throwing snowballs or riding down small hills on sleds. Occasionally she was hit with stray snowballs but she merely smiled at the young children, her eyes, though, were on the lookout for the brown haired boy she had become accustomed to calling a friend.

John should have been waiting by the light post but he was no where to be seen and Rowan was growing quite worried after waiting half an hour. Soon enough she heard the patter of footsteps and the gruff 'oof' of someone falling. Turning around she spotted him in a worn out black jumper and holey black pants, hardly anything warm in the cold winter day. His hair was matted to his forehead and Rowan found herself blushing and looked away before he noticed, she did after all find him very attractive, and with his hair all wet it was no exception.

"John are you alright?" she called out to him, with difficulty, as her snow boots were heavy on her feet; she ran to him and smiled gently, "happy Christmas John." John looked up at her and regarded her softly, to him; Christmas was pointless, as was Easter, Valentines Day and Birthdays. He had no family so he never found any of it really special and exciting, Santa didn't exist and neither did the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny but for Rowan he was going to make an exception.

"Happy Christmas," he drawled, he stood up and brushed his pants off but winced when Rowan's warm, gloved hand reached up and brushed some snow flakes out of his hair. He found that although her touch was unexpected, it brought a sense of security and warmth, her whole face was tinted pink but her eyes reflected happiness.

"Come on then, we're off to my house, you're not suited well to be hanging around outside," she smiled and then turned around and ran towards the direction of her grandmother's.

"Rowan! I don't want to go!" John barked in his husky voice, he remained in his original spot and watched the black and red haired girl stop a few meters away from him. They looked intensely at each other for a few minutes, in this time the sixteen year old girl had moved forward and was currently standing a few inches away from him.

"You're coming and that's final," Rowan growled, her hazel green eyes glinted angrily as she started into his fathomless black eyes.

"You're not the boss of me," John replied coolly.

"And you're not going to stay outside on Christmas."

"I don't believe in Christmas."

"Because you're an orphan and don't know what it's like to have a true family," Rowan crossed her arms over her chest and matched glare for glare, "I'm giving you the chance to have a real Christmas and you are not backing out." Turning on her heel she walked away leaving John stupefied, never had someone talked to him like that, in that tone, let alone a girl.

Feeling through his pockets he found his beyblade but finding it too harsh and mean to use, he looked down and smirked.

"Oi!" Rowan whirled around and gasped, "did you just throw a snowball at me?" A small smile spread over her face and John found himself staring, he didn't want to admit it but he found his only trustable companion slightly attractive. He was only a boy after all and he did have attractions to the opposite sex…it was just that his past and his reputation for being the mysterious silent type stopped him for continuing with anything further. He was just insecure and found that being alone was far better than needing to protect and care for someone, he hadn't the time.

In his stupor he was knocked backwards by a giant snowball to the face, growling his tried to get up only to fall back down by another snowball. "You do know that is cold right?" he growled finally getting the chance to catch up to her and tackle her before she could throw another ball.

"Well you should come home with me and get changed into something warmer than rags." Rowan retorted, she rolled away and stood up, "it's getting late and Christmas dinner should just about be ready, then we can unwrap presents and stuff." John looked away and bit his lip, he wouldn't be getting any presents, he didn't have a family. "Well come on, its roast and I love roast!"

"Oh he is handsome cousin," a young girl winked at John and looked steadily at Rowan, "and he is your boss," she bit her lip and sent a seductive look towards the brown haired boy.

John sat stiffly between Rowan's two uncles; they were both talking animatedly and clapping him on the back occasionally. He was studying the way the family acted around each other, the laughter and the smell of a home cooked meal all new to him. "Girls come help set the table!" Rowan's aunty called from the dining room, two young boys ran into the room through her legs both trying to hit each other with their toy aeroplanes. "Jim, Tim will you please," she cried out exasperatedly.

John watched this finding their behaviour odd, why did they all care so much? How could they love a bunch of brats that were trying to bombard each other's heads with fake planes? One thing John didn't understand…it was love and families. Things he didn't have.

A few minutes later they were called into the dining room which seemed to be the most extravagantly decorated. Decorations hung from the ceiling, mistletoe hung in doorframes and on from lights, the large Christmas tree stood in the corner beside the piano. Christmas carols were playing from a small CD player on the cabinet but overall John just felt at home as the smell of roast filled the room.

"Sit, sit John, anywhere you like," Jasmie – Rowan's mother - placed her hands on his shoulders and steered him towards the centre of the table beside her daughter.

"You haven't introduced me to your father Rowan," John whispered, he allowed his team mate to fill his plate with mashed potatoes.

"Oh…he's dead," she replied passing the plate to her grandmother.

John was taken aback, she was missing something as well, her father. He didn't understand how they could have so much in common, it was like she was drawn for him, "how?" he asked gruffly.

"Lung cancer," Rowan shrugged and began slicing up her meat.

"I'm…sorry," John said unsurely, "I didn't know-"

"Not many people do."

"How can you act all fine and like everything is alright?"

"It was ages ago, I'm over it. People die and you just have to move on, that's what I did. I was angry of course I was and I was sent to boarding school which wasn't making everything better, I ran away and started beyblading, I met Yuri along the way and then I met you." Rowan smiled.

"But I was here in England, you were in Japan or something, how did you get here?"

"Let's say I have my ways." She winked and turned her attention to the five year old girl beside her. Shivering he picked up his knife and fork and bit into his dinner relishing in the warm fuzzy feeling it provided, for once he felt whole.

The dinner went by quickly and they were all enjoying themselves, by the time it was for tea and coffee they were all standing around the piano. "Come on couz, Hark the Herald Angels sing," Elizabeth called out, she was one of the older cousins that had come home for the Christmas.

"Mum used to tell me you guys went carolling?" Rowan turned to look at her Aunty. "Why aren't we doing that this year?"

"We weren't prepared for it, usually we'd stand in the city and sing but this year because there is more of us, we'll settle for singing by the piano."

"Rowan's a good singer," John blurted out; he closed his eyes but smirked wickedly at his female friend. "She sings a lot when she's in the bathroom or when she thinks no one is there."

"Really…" the cousin that had found herself falling in love with John smiled brightly, "well couz why don't you take the lead and I play your harmony," she handed over the carol book and Rowan found herself flipping through it.

"Um…" she blushed but shrugged; "ok…" she giggled nervously and looked down at her grandmother. The tune to Hark the Herald Angels Sing filled the room and her voice was the only thing that stood out apart from the music, pretty soon everyone was singing and laughing. When the carols were over the presents were unwrapped.

John found this time to be the most dreaded, what was he kidding, he wasn't getting anything? He slowly inched his way into the foyer and opened the door, he took off the lovely jumper that Rowan had lent him and placed it on the coat rack. "You can keep it," Rowan's saddened voice filled the small space and he bowed his head solemnly. She came forward with a bag in her hands, "John-"

"Rowan…thanks," John smiled sheepishly and scratched his head, "um…happy Christmas." He felt Rowan shoving the bag in his hands and the jumper he had taken off. Shrugging but giving her a last look he left, the harsh wind had hit him and he shivered unconsciously. The house was so warm, lit by a fire and ducted heating, the family and all the closeness was warm and he loved every minute of it. It just wasn't for him though…he was alone his whole life and things like this started playing games on your mind. He would be relying on her and he didn't need that, he didn't want that. Rowan was too good a friend to him and he left before he could truly thank her.

Sitting in the park he looked through the bag noticing various winter garments, a navy scarf, light blue beanie, the black jumper she had given to him to wear and waterproof black snow pants. Bewildered he went to the bathroom and put on all the clothes feeling cared for inside. His black eyes overlooked the small parcel and envelope at the bottom of the bag, exiting the bathroom he returned to his bench and slit open the rough paper wrapping;

_Dear John, _

_Happy Christmas! I hope today was fun and comforting for you as it was for me and I hope that the clothes and such last you, after all you are a growing boy. You must understand that we share certain things in common, both of us not really knowing our families. While you don't truly know yours, I don't know my English side so it was nice to know you were there to keep me in check from my usual witty self. Thank you for being there John, I know I can count on you and I hope you can count on me. I'm here for you as long as you need me. _

_Happy Christmas, Rowan_

"You did have fun right?" Someone fell onto the seat beside him and he looked to his right, noticing the thick woollen red coat and red beret.

"Nice clothes."

"Thanks, not my style but what can I say it's Christmas," she shrugged and then looked away.

"I did have fun."

"Really?" She sounded so unsure; he wasn't sure himself if he had fun because of his conflicting emotions. "Hey, you didn't open the parcel."

"Never got a chance to," he carefully pried off the silver wrapping paper and pulled of the lid, inside was small bat charm on a silver chain, he stared at it bewildered and then looked up her in an all knowing fashion. "Thankyou," he leaned up and kissed her softly on the lips, just like in the movies he had seen.

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Sorry if John was a bit OOC but I couldn't think of any other way to write him a Christmas story you know, because if I did it the way it was supposed to it'd be a bit conflicting lol. Anyway hope you all like that and sorry for the long update but school is a pain in the ass. I am currently failing in my best subject and doing well in my worst subject so that's weird and I had my Bio SAC (school assessed coursework) and I think I did reasonably well considering it's a year 12 subject. Anyway I'm on holiday and there will possibly be more updates, anyone going Commonwealth Games? I'm not but hey they're being held here so eh more traffic…just wonderful…


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter eleven**

Josie woke up a few days after Christmas, crying out loud when her daughter had jumped on her stomach, of course unintentionally. She opened her eyes and smiled painfully at the young blonde girl who in return laid her head to Josie's chest. "Wow…that's a lovely sight to see," Ian was standing by the door and stared oddly at Jade's bottom. It was an amusing sight Josie had to agree, she'd been on the receiving end of Jade's butt and because the nappies or pull ups made it look over large she usually laughed.

Chuckling the sixteen year old mother ran her fingers through the fourteen month old's hair, her finger getting stuck in one of the many knots in her lovely curls, inherited from her father. "Good morning," she carefully moved Jade into her lap and sat up, "so what's on the agenda for Jade today?" Ian who thought that kids were usually pains had grown quite close to the young girl, during the holidays he had taken her to all sorts of places and even taught her to catch, for Christmas he gave her, her first beyblade.

"Well…I wanted to take her ice skating, I mean she's young and all but I swear I won't let her fall," Ian said quickly, all in one breath. "And considering your teammates and others will be staying in the manor I thought I'd take her out of your hands while you get prepared and stuff-"

Josie thought it over long and hard, "well…as long as she doesn't hurt herself. Oliver got her some skates, they're in her wardrobe right at the top so you might have to get Bryan or Spencer to get them and really I don't know how I got it up there…"

"Are you implying I'm short?"

"Yes," Josie moved her legs out of bed and stood up taking Jade with her in her arms, "I'll get Enrique to pack her baby bag, I'll get her changed and you get some breakfast," she stared pointedly at Ian who in turn raised his eyebrows.

"I already ate-"

"Liar," she hissed, she smiled and lifted a hand to ruffle his indigo hair, "go eat breakfast Ian, breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Ian grudgingly complied and left the roo shoving past Enrique.

"Buongiorno," Enrique pecked his sister on the cheek and smiled lazily at her, "how's my favourite sister?" His cheeks were rosy and his hair wet, steam was coming out of the door from behind him, his body covered in a thin layer of water. A towel was wrapped around his waist showing his finely chiselled chest and muscular arms.

"Enrique…I'm you're only sister now put on some clothes," she glared at him annoyed and turned Jade the other way so she couldn't see his almost naked form.

"What if I don't want to? You're lady friends will be here and I might just want to go free." He smiled enjoyably at seeing his sister's obvious peevishness.

"You do what you want, Jade's going with Ian," Josie reached up and pulled the her hair out of her daughter's grasp, "honey don't do that it hurts," she then kissed her on the forehead, "but if I get a sight of you and your 'thing' you'll be lucky if I don't set Johnny or Oliver on you."

"Oliver will think its bella and probably go free as well."

"Then it'll be Johnny and perhaps Robert on you, hey aren't you going to practice with Robert soon?" She changed topics fast and watched the colour drain from his face, "you have a date don't you Eni?" she teased, "who's your new toy? Drusilla or Stephanie?"

Enrique moved forward in a threatening position and growled a low string of Italian curses. Josie laughed and jumped back holding Jade's head to her chest, "you better tell Robert because he'll think you 'uncouth'!"

"He already does!"

"Just get Jade's baby bag ready," she replied as she walked down the grand staircase to the foyer. She greeted everyone in the kitchen with a bright smile and seated Jade in her high chair, a bowl of mashed banana already set.

Kai raised his eyebrows at her noticing the rosy cheeks and the merry twinkle in her eyes, "thankyou Oliver," she said as a plate of pancakes was placed in front of her. Johnny was pulling faces at Jade making her squirm and giggle in her seat, her spoon falling from the chair, Josie handed her another one and then watched Johnny feed her expertly. Most of the time it was Johnny who fed her, Oliver was usually cooking or cleaning and Robert was somewhere in the mansion, most probably in the library. She always woke up too late that Jade was already prepared for the day ahead but when it was one of the days Josie liked to sleep in the guys fed her.

"So…what's on the agenda today?" Johnny asked absently, he blew at his burgundy bangs and then scrunched his nose trying to get the itch to stop.

"Well I'll get the rest of the bedrooms prepared and you'll, you 'know' to Enrique if he walks around naked." She replied smiling at Kai and then frowning when she noticed the front cover of the sports page of the newspaper. She was about to say something when Kai replied.

"Yes I've read it, nothing new just the same old stuff." He couldn't read Italian but Josie did get other newspapers in Russian and English, just to keep up with the gossip.

"At least they got my good side…" she mumbled biting into the syrupy goodness of her breakfast.

A few hours later Josie ran around the house checking out all the rooms to make sure they were warm and inviting for her friends and others, her team, the Demolition Boys and the Bladebreakers were going to be staying with her for the remainder of the tournament. It wasn't too long to go, just two more rounds. Anonymous versus the Bladerbreakers and the Demolition Boys versus the Bandits. Then is was the final round.

Reasonably no one was in the house or they were but weren't commonly seen. She knew Enrique, Johnny and Robert were in the dancing/fencing studio, Bryan and Spencer using the gym equipment and Kai and Tala somewhere out in the gardens, Oliver was on her balcony painting something or other and Ian was ice skating with Jade. She smiled despite herself, she never really got much peace and quiet but when she did she liked to enjoy it with a good book in hand or her violin.

Entering the room designed for Lan and Yuri she rested the violin to her shoulder but the sound of slamming car doors called for her attention. She moved towards the window and looked down with a joyous smile on her delicate face. Lan giggled and waved brightly to her, her waist length blonde hair almost reaching her butt, looking far longer than Josie remembered it.

Lan stopped waving and watched Josie wave back, something about the image created made her look very sinister. Her captain's eyes shadowed and her violin looking like a threatening weapon. Suddenly Josie disappeared and soon or later reappeared at the front door with a dazzling smile on her face.

"Hey guys," she greeted moving down the steps trying not to slip on the frost that she had watched Ian slip on before.

"Hello," they greeted an edge of tiredness to their voices. Rafaela began unloading the limo but was lightly moved to the side as butlers came and took the bags from her hands.

"Um…thanks." She greeted awkwardly. Rafaela looked towards Josie who smiled and bounced on the balls of her heels.

"Come on in, don't worry they'll take your bags…unless you want to take them yourselves?" she winked and then moved out of the way as one of the men walked up the stairs easily, no sign of slipping. When she walked them into the foyer and up the staircase she began talking in a curt voice, "Enrique and I have set a few rules while you stay in our house…" she paused and then frowned, "well it would be our house considering mama and papa are hardly home," she whispered to herself. "But these rules are for your safety and such. We're not giving a curfew but we're restricting you from walking the house at night, you are allowed to walk on your own level where your room is but not go upstairs or downstairs (in your case). Because you can get lost and all this other junk, you can go if you ask or something but yea…I'd advise against it because I get lost in my own house…Enrique and I don't move about because we think ghosts roam walk the night."

Lan giggled nervously and then continued following Josie, "also, there's a set time for meals as well, this is nobody comes up to me and go 'we're hungry' or whatever. Meals will last for two hours, breakfast usually starting at eight, lunch at one and dinner at seven. Breakfast will change depending on tournament times. Chefs don't work after dinner, anything you want to eat you get it yourself but keep in mind that if everything in the pantry is gone than snacks and other such foods won't arrive till Wednesday or Sunday."

"You done yet?" Cy asked grumpily, "don't you trust us?"

"I trust you; I just don't trust the house."

"What do you mean?" Yuri asked confused, her brown eyes looking quizzically at the blonde.

"Well look at it, it's big isn't it everyone's gonna get lost at least once and if you don't pay attention to where you're going you'll be in a bit of trouble. I say just stick to the main corridors; doors have signs on them as well so you know what's what. Rafaela you'll be staying in my room which is right here so go make yourself comfortable. Yuri and Lan you'll have the room beside ours and Cy yours across from theirs. Here's something else you should know, the Bladebreakers reside in the rooms above us and the Demolition Boys below us. Enrique and his friends are on the same corridor as us."

"Is that all?" Cy asked impatiently, he eyed his door hungrily wanting to fall asleep on a comfortable bed.

"Until I remember what else to say, now go get settled in and take a rest, I'll wake you for dinner." Josie smiled and then watched her friends grumble and moan as they entered the room, moans of delight coming from Cy and Lan at the sight of their bed.

Josie chuckled and entered hers and Rafaela's room; she took a seat at the vanity table and watched the orange and red haired girl look about the room in awe. "This is wonderful; I'd give anything for this life style." She dumped her carry bag at the foot of her bed and bounced on the edge of her bed, "this is life." She giggled sheepishly and turned her attention to the sixteen year old.

"Glad you like it, I tried to make it as comforting and wonderful as I could but considering it's my room, I didn't really want to change anything." Josie shrugged and got up to answer her bedroom door.

"More have arrived," the butler said while getting up from his bow. Josie smiled and then turned to Rafaela who dismissed her with a wave of her hand.

"Show me the way," Josie said curtly.

A few hours passed and the house was more than noisy, the Bladebreakers were running around left, right and centre. Thankfully Josie and Enrique made the house damage proof the night before, the butlers putting various breakable objects away in the safe. Kai was glaring at his team mates for running amok, he was grateful that Ray had the decency to just sit down and was even pleased when Hilary yelled at them about manners and having courtesy towards Josie. He sighed and watched Josie come down the stairs looking a bit stressed; her hair was tangled from the amount of times she ran her nimble fingers through her hair.

A loud bell sounded and everyone's attention turned towards the Maid, "dinner is served, please retreat to the dining room in a formal manner." Josie smiled relieved at the woman and then joined Kai at the dinner table.

Ten minutes into the meals where her team was mingling well with the Bladebreakers and the Demolition Boys did Ian returned out of breath. "I'm sorry, it took a while to get Jade out of her skates," he placed the girl in the highchair and seated himself beside Spencer. Suddenly all the girls in the room, minus Josie, squealed and ran out of their seats to coo over Jade.

"She's so cute in person," Lan smiled and played with her little hand.

"How old are you little missy?" Hilary asked sweetly.

"One y-year," Jade giggled and then looked at her mother nervously; Josie smiled and then tucked in a strand of her daughter's hair behind her ear.

"Come on guys, you can coo over her later, she needs to eat." The girls reluctantly returned to their seat where still, they talked about Jade. Josie concluded that it was going to be one long night.

**I am incredibly sorry for the long update! Physics is getting on my nerves and school is positively frightening. I hope everyone had a happy Easter and I got a damned email…but it won't matter…I hope everyone got lots of eggs and such…I got none  family thing, I'm too old for chocolate. I promise an earlier update next time. Reviews and ideas are welcome. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter twelve**

Damn him for being curious and having a certain streak for breaking rules. Really he couldn't help but walk around the house at night, he found that inner film director coming through and this chance was perfect for a short movie. The corridors were dimly lit either by the large windows at the end of corridors or the little dimmed lamps on the walls. He wasn't scared of getting lost because, be as it may that his imagination was a bit out there, he just didn't believe in ghosts…especially in Josie's mansion. He would jump from certain noises but it added to the whole effect, however he couldn't stop being aware that someone was watching him, sort of like the portraits along the hall.

It actually amazed him though, how big the house was. He hadn't left the second storey and yet there were rooms upon rooms, doors upon doors and no secret passage ways he had imagined. He took a right but stopped and quickly moved behind a vase. Someone was coming up the stairs, the first set of stairs he found. He moved his camera just around the corner and used the screen to see who was there. Soon enough he realized no one was there at all and concluded they turned right into the darkened corridor.

"I thought my sister said _not_ to walk about at night," he gave a startled yelp and turned around to see Josie's older brother scowling at him. Cy chuckled sheepishly and held up the camera, "oh…so you're the director wannabe?" Enrique turned his head to the side and frowned, "I might have something you'll like, follow me." He turned around and pushed open a door that hid a spiralling staircase into infinite darkness.

Enrique took the five candled candelabra off an end table and lit it with a lighter he had in his pant pocket. When Cy gave him a quizzical look he admitted the truth, "I quitted smoking a few weeks ago, I'm having one a day now or almost none at all," he smiled brightly and then entered stepped foot on the staircase.

"Does Josie know?" Cy asked curiously.

"Yep, she's the one who made me quit and Oliver…" Cy smiled slightly and held the camera up making sure to follow Enrique's every movement.

"Josie says the house is haunted, is that true?" Josie's older brother snorted and continued walking, "I mean I don't believe in it but it was one of the excuses she used to tell us not to walk around at night."

"Well anything that comes out of my dear sister's mouth is usually true, things disappear here and we haven't located them. It's not the staff and no burglar, security tapes prove that." They came upon a door that blended in well with the darkness; Enrique pushed on the solid tinted glass and leaned inside for the light switch. "My cousin uses it for his work; he stays over a lot so he films a lot. Um…yea…I think he's installed some new stuff so you can have fun with that."

"You don't really know what you own in your house do you?" Cy asked looking around the room and noticing the few computers, shelf of cameras and equipment. He would have entered weren't it not for the older blonde boy to shut the door in his face. "What gives?" he cried.

"To bed," Enrique nudged him towards the stairs and stood in front of the door like a guard. Cy sighed and trudged up the stairs defeated, truthfully he was a tad bit tired but the prospect of cameras and equipment called to him. After being showed to his room he crawled into bed exhausted.

Light filtered into the room and Rafaela cracked an eye open and then the other. Groaning she sat up and rubbed her bleary eyes, turning she was about to wake Josie but noticed her bed empty. Wondering where she was Rafaela crawled out of bed and gently knocked on the door, no reply. Shrugging she decided that her captain could probably survive in her own house and decided to have a shower in the en suite, the room in which she knocked upon.

She just hopped in the shower when she heard Josie's calm voice, "Aela? Oh she's up, that's good – Jade honey how many times must I tell you not to play with Mummy's hair." She smiled gently as the hot water trickled down her back. They were sharing a very large house with three teams, two having all boys and then adding Josie's brother and his friends. She was sure their stay would be very interesting.

After breakfast they were all standing outside awaiting orders from their respective captains. When Kai ordered his team to go to the left of the house and Tala ordering his to go to the right, Anonymous looked at Josie expectantly. "Come on inside, we'll train in there. We made a roster so that when it comes to training we share the gym equally, today we got it and tomorrow Kai has it."

They looked at each other nodded their heads and shrugged, they decided that Josie was far too hospitable to allow people living with her to not share the benefits of Tornatone Manor. They gasped at the large room that had walls made of mirrors and a floor made of clear Perspex, the fact that they had what a gym in the local suburb would have and more. "Are we going to be using our beyblades at all?" Rafaela asked, her grey eyes roamed the room and when she saw no beydishes she turned around confused, "what are we going to do?" she asked carefully.

"The beyblades are reserved for the garden," Josie said in a well practised tone, "I decided we should have a little fun because this is the second round, I might become nasty. Now…it's either working out to up beat music or…discussing tactics for the future battles to come?" She smiled; a smile that didn't reach her eyes and went didn't go unnoticed by the team.

Being friends for quite some time they had all grown accustomed to everyone's mannerisms, their habits and personalities that they considered themselves like a family. They had grown used to Josie's smiles, they admitted she wasn't a great actress and was easy to read so when that little smile was only a left tilt of her lip, they knew something was up. Yuri, Lan and Rafaela made it clear that they'd be having a girl's night, which they'd get Cy to lock up the boys in the miniature arcade even if he disagreed and just wanted to sleep, they had told him to sleep on the couch.

The music was on and they were soon singing to 'Angels Crying' by E-Type, they were surprised that Josie had imported a large collection of English music and not some of the Italian records that Enrique liked to play. Josie stood behind Cy ready to catch the weight that Cy was lifting; she was surprised to see the muscles he had hidden by his oversized t-shirts. The blonde boy looked up at her, his breathing laboured as he pumped the bar up and down. He was looking her in the eyes, just to keep his mind off the burning sensation in his arms. As he continued to stare he noticed the concern, the lack of sleep and the less than rosy cheeks, if it was something he knew about Josie that the others didn't was that her cheeks would loose colour from stress or something else more anxious.

He knew the girl far longer than the others; he'd seen her around when he went out with his brothers, only because his brothers 'knew all the hot places to go to.' Josie being the wealthy, socialite was at the same function as him, a little party held by one of his brother's ex-girlfriend or girlfriend…they were always having an on/off relationship. It was the time just before she fell pregnant and she was often caught dancing with a curly haired blonde kid, Adam, the father of Jade. It was jealousy because here was this beautiful girl, who had befriended him at the buffet dancing with this boy that wasn't him, he was a boy and he once did have feelings for his captain.

When he found her on his doorstep holding a silk handkerchief to her nose he felt heartbroken, at this time though he grew over the girl because he had fallen for someone else…another blonde of Asian background…Lan. But he still helped her, offered her comfort and his mother's famous hot chocolate, with courage he kicked his brothers out of the room, almost literally…but not without putting up a fight.

"_Can I please have the room? Just for a few minutes?" he asked in rapid Italian, the four older boys raised their blonde eyebrows and crossed arms, "please, I'm desperate here." He didn't like begging and knew that it would give a chance for his brothers to tease him. Cy could hear Josie just beside him as he stood on the threshold of the messy lounge room. _

"_How desperate?" Peter stood up from his seat on the couch and looked his brother in the eye, he was sensible even if he was second youngest and should've been more immature. _

"_Tell them," he heard Josie whisper in a solemn voice but he couldn't do that to her because he knew how much she wanted to keep it a secret. _

"_Please, can't you just be the brothers I look up to, that should be mature, young men that understand a brother's motives when he says he needs the room for one sole moment." They were silent, never knowing that the youngest member could say such powerful words, filled with such emotion and holding no famous Ochre glint in his green and blue eyes. _

"_Tell us now Cy, what the hell is going on?" Daniel, much more demanding, much more stubborn had stepped forward and glared down at the fourteen year old. _

_He lost his last nerve, Cy plunged forward and knocked his brother to the ground and the only way that the large battle had stopped was by Josie who entered and screamed in a shrill, broken voice to stop…_

He learned from then on as he watched her progress through the pregnancy watched the tears and the smiles and heard the silence and laughter that anyone to get her so worked up could only be one person…and he hoped to god that he didn't return.

He found he was right as he sat by Josie's room, just by the door that was left ajar and strained his ears as he heard his captain tell the girls about Adam. He was returning, to say hello, to meet his daughter and perhaps claim some legality over Jade. It was going to be one hell of a battle. No things such as beyblading didn't seem to matter anymore because the tournament they would be facing now seemed much more important, far greater and required more work. No amount of skill over their bit beast would matter and although their spirits was part of their soul, their rationality wouldn't help the situation at all. He feared that if Jade, the light in Josie's overcomplicated life, was gone…he wondered if the girl that befriended him would ever return, would she still be fun? Smart? No, she'd always be smart but would she still smile and laugh? Would she find the humour in non humorous situations?

He just had to wonder because he could read people like a book and he found this language to be the hardest by yet. She wasn't written in English or Italian or in some weird symbol like alpha or delta, it was like a scrambled of weird loops and twists because everything suddenly seemed so wrong. The only reason he allowed the girls to look after her was because they were the only girlfriends she had that wouldn't turn their backs on her, not like the girls she used to hang around with.

He heard footsteps and merely looked up when a shadow surrounded him; Kai looked at him with dark, mahogany eyes and a snarl on his face that indicated his sudden anger. "Ciao Cy, what a pleasant surprise. I certainly didn't know you'd be here, I'm here to see Josie." He was pulled to his feet by Kai and then Cy could easily look into Adam's blue eyes, he growled low in his throat and closed the door to Josie's room with a snap.

"She's busy, girls only."

**88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888**

**Indeed I do apologise and I am currently now waiting to be plummeted into the ground by angry readers. This update is very late but I have had it on my hard drive for quite some time because I got a little lost after writing about Cy's midnight adventure. I was on holiday but I've spent so much time writing these dark stories will or murder, lust and craze because it was a good story line and I wanted to get my English teacher to read it. **

**School is returning in a few days lord forbid because I've only started my homework. Anyway, I shall not be badmouthing physics anymore despite the good marks I was getting because I got switched to business management, the black humanities sheep in my science flock. Got myself a tutor for maths as well because my teachers a bitch. I'm not returning to this camp guy's English class and hope to god I'm with my new beloved friend because he is afraid, very afraid of said teacher. I have new friends also :D not bad friends but much more than I used to, I'm pleased. **

**Um…I'm also going through a very Disney phase where my world of music revolves around Disney songs and wondering if any of my friends might enter the school's concert…highly doubt it. **

**Thus for the heck of it, here's a excerpt of my story Porcelain Doll which is just a one shot I can't post on the website because it's not fanfiction. **

_**To her it was just a game. Killing, it was a game with no boundaries, no rules. There will be repercussions when those who played became victorious and those that didn't wound up dead. She wasn't playing to die but to bring home a victory like no other. Thoughts like this made her the epitome of a disfigured porcelain doll, a cracked skull, missing eye. That was who she was in the cabinet. **_

**Anyone interested in reading it give me your email and I'll send it to ya…who said a free bit of advertising never hurt :D**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter thirteen**

Kai watched from across the yard as Josie pulled the rip cord, summoned her bit beast and caught her beyblade in a non stop routine, a routine that had been going on for the past few hours. It was raining, or it had been raining and was now drizzling, but it all meant the same thing.

It was wet and cold and Josie wasn't necessarily wearing appropriate attire for such circumstances. He could see the outline of her bra through her silk, pink nightgown that was completely short save for the black three-quarter pants she wore underneath, her attire was clinging to her lithe frame. She wasn't wearing any shoes because in her haste to leave the mansion and in her haste she didn't bother to grab for her robe as she would usually do. He didn't bother to put on a t-shirt just some jeans over his boxers because he wanted to follow her, make sure she was alright and make sure she didn't do anything entirely stupid.

Kai had been standing on the bottom step of the mansion with an umbrella over his head for the past three hours. He had tried to talk some sense into her but she just bluntly ignored him and he completely hated it when she was like that. So he stood in the rain half pissed off because she wouldn't allow him to help and half worried because he knew with her weak immune system she'd get sick.

"You've got to talk some sense into her; she's going to get pneumonia," Yuriko held a large, yellow towel to her chest and shivered; she had stayed in her pyjamas but threw Josie's parka over her shirt. She too had been standing out on the doorstep watching her best friend; she wondered why Kai was just standing there tight lipped. She thought they were really good friends, the kind of friends that had been with her threw the thick and thin, she had yet to experience something like that with the blonde girl.

She wasn't daft and knew immediately what was happening, the tension between Adam, (who to her was quite handsome) and Josie, it was thick and suffocating. It was a shocked expression from her friend and a smug look from a boy she had never met but knew too much information about to not necessarily like him.

Josie had said that _'Adam is handsome and caring and charming and intelligent but these are his only good points. He's manipulative, he can pry information from you without you knowing and he can make you fall in love just with a click of his fingers. He's great and all, but…he breaks so many hearts and he broke mine and left me with a daughter, who I like to believe doesn't have a father at all.'_ She remembered how Josie had taken her time to choose the right words, how her voice was laced with malice and yet it was sad. Yuri took the words to heart, she had vowed that she would protect her friend when the time came when she'd finally meet Adam and she knew this would be the day but something deep within her let loose and when she saw Adam she immediately fell in love. But with the precautions that their captain had drilled into their heads about how bad he was, she knew she was just falling for his good looks and that was all. The smirk on his face was rather unappealing.

"You don't think I've tried," Kai's voice was soft and filled with regret. His brown eyes didn't move from the blonde haired girl and he knew from the position of the moon that it was approximately two in the morning. He wondered how he would be able to cope with that day's beybattles and how Josie would also, considering she was first up and how Cy would cope if he was going to be emotionally drained from talking to the ex-boyfriend.

"Maybe you should try harder," Yuri rubbed her face softly against the towel she was clutching for Josie.

"Just back off!" Kai growled whirling on her, he was breathing hard and his face was contorted in anger. He looked way older than eighteen and scarily so that Yuri had taken a step back in shock and also had let go of the towel she was holding.

She bent down to pick it up and glared at him, "you care so much about her Kai and you know her so well too, if she's stubborn counterattack it. Do something!" She yelled, her usual brown eyes turned to a dangerous black and her hand went up to poke him in the chest. Kai's umbrella fell to the floor and he growled slightly when he felt the first drops of rain hit his hair and his bare torso.

"Don't you start too Yuri!"

"No I'm going to start," the Asian girl straightened her shoulders and stood definitely in front of him, she had an advantage as she stood on a higher step. "I always thought that the great Kai Hiwatari never gave up and always fought his own battles and we all know that this is one of your greatest battles yet. Josie has always been a challenge to you because Mr Antisocial can't make up his mind on whether or not the love he holds for her is merely brotherly or whether it's something more." She stepped down and poked him once again, "if you truly cared about her you'd push and push and be just as stubborn as she's being."

"Don't you start questioning my love for her and whether or not I care." Kai wiped his fringe out of his eyes before turning around and striding briskly towards Josie, he was soaked to the bone and the grass between his toes was an unpleasant feeling. Yuri watched with a smirk and picked up the umbrella that he left behind, she re-entered the house and quickly ran up the stairs into her room to get dried up.

Enrique growled and clutched a balled up fist in his left hand, his right hand was just itching to punch something and Johnny had taken a majority of his punches just earlier. Oliver was standing beside him, a comforting hand on his shoulder and Johnny stood weakly to his other side, a few minor bruises appearing on his usually unblemished, tan skin.

Enrique was fuming, he was furious with the fact that this blonde kid who he had actually liked and found suitable to dating his sister was back, begging for forgiveness and willing to take his daughter under his wing. Enrique wouldn't allow it; he most defiantly wouldn't allow it and he damned well hoped Josie wouldn't allow it.

Cy was feeling the same, Lan was sitting beside him with her hand held tightly in his but she was fidgeting nervously. Adam sat directly in front of them and Rafaela beside him but squashed into the arm rest, furthest away from the boy. Adam wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest; he was merely sipping at some tea and staring intently at photos on the walls. Nothing had necessarily changed in the house, things were in the same places.

"So what are you really doing here Adam?" Robert entered with a tray laden with drinks and a few shots of whiskey that he knew Enrique and Johnny would probably need. Lan accepted the tea gratefully and leaned her head on Cy's shoulder tiredly, Adam smiled at her but she merely glared back. She was tired and annoyed and anxious, she wanted to sleep but she knew, they all knew that there would be no chance of that happening.

"I'm here to see my daughter of course," Enrique hissed and looked ready to kill and Rafaela noticed the flicker of fear appear in Adam's eyes, she smiled in satisfaction and took a sip of her hot chocolate. "I do have a right after all."

"What right do you have waltzing up to my house unannounced so late at night?" Lan sat up immediately and could instantly feel Cy relax beside her, they were both happy and both anxious at seeing the arrival of their captain. Rafaela glanced at Adam and smirked seeing the colour drain from his face, she stood up and went to stand beside the younger girl.

Josie was a little worse for wear, her hair was matted and wet, drops of water falling onto the expensive Persian rug her mother had brought on one of her business trips. Her clothes were drenched and barely suitable to wear in front of guests or anyone really; her bra showed through the thin material and water was trickling down her legs, arms and face. Though, in her sodden form she didn't look remotely vulnerable or weak but held command and grace. Her cheeks were red and her eyes puffy and the girls had a minute to think she had been crying.

"I think you should go get dried up because I highly doubt your mother would appreciate you soaking her Persian rug," the curly haired boy replied curtly, he had stood up when he noticed her in the room and his eyes travelled up her well toned body. "Though, you're still looking as delightful as usual." Cy saw his tongue flick out over his bottom lip and he would have jumped him right then and there were it not for Lan almost having to sit on him.

"I'm going to kill you!"

Enrique, Josie and Johnny all leapt forward angrily their hands raised up and ready to attack Josie's ex-lover. Quickly Kai grabbed his friend around the waist and threw her over his bare shoulder, carrying her out of the room as she kicked and screamed. Oliver intercepted Enrique and was slowly pushing against him, trying to stop him from attacking and Robert had merely stuck him foot out and tripped Johnny.

Kai grumbled under his breath about the bruises he was bound to receive as he took a short cut his knew up to his and Tala's room. He kicked open the door and threw the blonde onto his bed, Tala looked up tiredly and growled. "I heard you coming a mile away, she wouldn't stop screaming," he groaned and threw a pillow over his head. Josie grabbed for something solid on the bedside table, Kai's bottle of water did fine and she threw it at him hard.

"Josie!" Kai said in a booming voice. He too was wet; his jeans were dragging him down and were falling off his waist and showing just the top of his black boxers. "Think about your daughter." He growled catching her scowling face in his hands, he lifted her chin up roughly and glared, "and when I talk you look at me."

"I am thinking about my daughter."

"No you're not, you're attacking the enemy. You and you're blonde brother and the gorilla that's his friend, he'll sue and he'll take you to court to claim he has issues with the way you're raising your daughter and he'll win."

Josie mulled over his words, a lone tear slipped down her cheek and she growled in frustration. "Wow, look at me I'm crying like a baby, like a sissy," she sniffed and continued wiping the tears off her cheeks as they came at a faster rate. "Honestly, what right does he have coming here so late at night, uninvited and demanding to see Jade?" She stood up and walked into the walk in closet where she noticed half of the guys clothes hung up or on the floor.

She slipped out of her clothes but stayed in her underwear and began picking through the clothes hangers and the piles in search of a clean shirt. Kai peered curiously into the room but instantly turned back around when he noticed what she was doing or wearing, he blushed from his neck to his ears and felt incredibly hot in the large bedroom. Tala who had given up sleeping to listen to Josie and Kai's conversation raised an eyebrow curiously. He pointed to the bedroom and mouthed something which Kai understood immediately, he nodded his head and Tala smiled brightly.

Tala slipped out of his bed, only clad in some silky, green boxers and tip toed towards Kai. He tried leaning around Kai's body but was roughly pushed away and had landed with a loud thump on the floor. "He doesn't have a right at all," Kai replied as he dragged his best friend towards the door and throwing him out. "What are you doing in there?" He asked trying to sound curious.

"Do you reckon I should let him see Jade and then he'll leave – but I don't want him seeing her at all!" She changed from one argument to the other, "He wasn't even here for her first birthday or her Christening or, or anything! He broke my heart and my trust and I was left with a kid at such a young age. I'm not going to lose my daughter Kai; I wouldn't be able to stand it. I can't lose to him!" She pulled the t-shirt over her head and walked out of the wardrobe, when she spotted Kai she threw him a set of clothes.

Kai noticed the determination in her eyes and the usual stubbornness and he remembered why he was her friend. She wasn't like most girls, she was mature and sophisticated and smart. She didn't simper like the fan girls and she didn't throw herself at him, she was different. He grabbed the clothes off the floor where they had landed at his feet and entered the wardrobe which seemed far neater than before.

"Hey, where's Tala?"

"He said he couldn't stand our conversation and left to Ian's room." He called back as he pulled the dry pants on but stayed topless.

"We're not going to be doing our best are we?" Her voice was soft and solemn, "for tomorrow I mean, our first matches in Italy and we're not going to be doing well."

"We can't let our social lives interfere."

"Jade isn't my social life Kai," her anger sparked again and her hands clenched in her lap as she settled for seating on the edge of Kai's bed.

"We're too young for this. We're acting years ahead of our time-"

"If you wanted to act like a normal, teenage boy then what the hell were you doing befriending me?"

"You always ask the same questions and I'll always give you an honest answer."

"Yes, yes we know how great I am but honestly; I'm more trouble than it's worth." Kai sighed when he noticed a tear drop fall onto the plush carpet and then another and another. He kneeled in front of her and held her hands in his. He wasn't an emotional sort of guy and he didn't know enough about girls to cope when they were all emotional and weeping. He hoped that holding her hands and waiting it out would be enough because although he had been in the same circumstance in the past, he wasn't used to it and it was like a whole new experience once again.

"Damn girls and their emotions," he muttered and Josie, for the first time that night laughed. Her laughing made his heart swell and he was pleased to see the usual rosiness in her cheeks and her eyes squinting in delight, he truly thought she was feeling just a little bit happier.

Her laughter died down within a few minutes and she smiled slightly, "how come it's always you that's pulls some sense into me, I mean, it is always you! Cy and Rafaela, yea they're there sometimes but you always say the best things at the worst times." She lay back against the bed and Kai moved to her other side, sitting on the edge and watching her getting comfortable.

"_Starting from here, let's make a promise  
You and me, let's just be honest  
We're gonna run, nothing can stop us  
Even the night that falls all around us" _

His eyes felt heavy and he watched her lazily as she sung. He remembered the times she played the violin and how he'd sit beside the window and almost nod off to sleep. He loved the look in her eyes, the love as she played and the way her thin fingers moved over the chords. He realised without thinking, his eyes growing wide with the realisation…that perhaps…just perhaps he was in love with one of his best friends.

**Finally…I had trouble trying to think of an ending to this chapter…not necessarily the way I had planned it to end but oh well. It seems my whole story has changed drastically, damnit. But I like it even better now, writing mushy stuff is what I believe I'm good at.**

**I'm terribly sorry for the very, very late update but it was only due to the trouble I had with this chapter and then going out and stuff and finding new books to read. I'm currently on holidays, yay, but this is my last week off damnit and then another four weeks until holidays again because of exams. Then…I'll be a year twelve student…how scary and I'm certainly not looking forward to that. **

**Also just so let you in on something after New Years I will be in Thailand but that might mean an influx of updates if I end up bringing my laptop with me to write stories. Also…here's an excerpt of one of my other stories that some might be interested in reading – it's called Secrets and is from the diary of a young girl. **

"_**She fell pregnant with his child…a half breed of royalty and poor blood. My child will be shunned because of a simple mistake that made me feel on top of the world, actually, a world that is now crumbling around my feet." **_

**Anyway, please review, it means a lot to me and if you want that story send me a review or email and I'll send it to you. **

**Love, Dark – Cherry. **


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